Terrible Timing
by Musicalgoddess
Summary: 20 years have passed since Arthur defeated the Morrowdays,and the time has come for him to return, leaving behind his wife and son. But time every where is off, and the Untimely Goddess needs more than Arthur to fix it. UPDATED!Chap 18 up plz enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter One_

He watched as his son slept. His mind traveling off to a far off place, to years ago when he had been charged with a duty that had seemed impossible to him. When the Will had found him, and turned his life upside down.

"Arthur, it's getting late"

"Coming Leaf" Arthur bellowed and returned his gaze to his boy, Artemis. Artemis would start school tomorrow. Monday. It sent shivers down Arthur's spine; he would be starting at the same school Arthur had attended on that day that seemed so long ago. Monday. That was when his troubles began. But now nearly twenty years after defeating the Morrow Days with Dame Primus his Steward for all seven keys. Arthur had lived a separate life from the house, had gone to school, gotten married, and had bought a house, all in his own hometown. But Arthur was restless. He had received a phone call today, not just any phone call but that familiar jangling ring of the phone in the red lacquered phone box. He hadn't answered it, but he knew what it meant. When Arthur had recovered the first key he had requested six to seven years of peace before assuming full and total rule. But more than that had passed since then, without any call from Dame Primus. He doubted the call was for a cup of tea. No, that was his summons back to the House. To reign as Master of the epicenter of the Universe. And he would leave tomorrow. Leaving his family, Leaf, and Artemis forever. He left his son to his slumber and went down the hall to his room. He pulled on his favorite blue flannel and slid under the covers. A moment later the lights in the bathroom went out and Leaf walked in, wearing an overgrown black nightshirt. His. Arthur shut his eyes tight and attempted to feign sleep.

"Arthur, I know you aren't asleep"

Arthur groaned and rolled over squinting into the darkness he reached over and turned on the lamp. "You got me" he sighed. His eyes adjusted and focused on Leaf. "You've taken the scissors to your hair again haven't you" he gestured to her choppy bleached blond locks.

Leaf rolled her eyes. "Yes." She snapped and got into bed.

"If I've told you once I've told you a thousand times to go see a stylist"

"I don't like the idea of putting foreign chemicals in my hair" said the environmentalist.

"There are botanical treatments," Arthur pressed. "Oh! --- Never mind that." Arthur grumbled.

"You have to leave don't you?" Leaf made a lucky guess.

Arthur had silently hoped to just slip out without anyone noticing but his straightforward wife wasn't going to simply allow that. "Yes, I got a call today. I'm leaving tomorrow."

"I'll miss you" Leaf squeaked.

"Me too," Arthur replied patting her head he looked into her eyes and his heart sank. He knew that look. "Oh, come on." He groaned. "I've got a long day tomorrow, an eternity if you will and I need my sleep"

"Please?" Leaf pleaded her eye glittering with excitement. "One last time," she whispered. "Like nature intended"

"Alright"

Outside on a grassy hill

"Can we go inside now?" Arthur asked, rubbing his hands together. The night air was chilly. "I said ' Can we go inside now,'" Arthur repeated, but Leaf wasn't listening to him, she was gazing up at the stars and rattling on about constellations and what not. On any other night Arthur wouldn't have minded, he found the stars rather interesting and on occasion Artemis would sit on the hill with them. But he had to head for the House tomorrow and he was very tired. "It's cold" Arthur said of the early spring air. The snow was still melting.

"You've always been a baby Arthur" Leaf retorted, but not unkindly.

"Wah wah" Arthur imitated. "It's cold and I want to go inside, baby or not"

"Just wait a minute"

Arthur glanced down at his watch, still running backwards cause he kept forgetting to change it. He worked the hours out in his head and realized it was eleven o'clock, well on route to twelve. Twelve on Monday morning. He prayed that Artemis wouldn't encounter the sort of trouble he had that Monday so long ago.

"What do I tell the family," Leaf muttered.

"What we planned to" he said. Long ago Leaf and Arthur had discussed the story that would be told to their families when he had to leave.

"I don't know if the drowning thing will work," Leaf replied.

"I got electrocuted then,"

"No, no, maybe you left me and Artemis"

"No! I don't want my family thinking I'm some sort of dead beat," Arthur protested.

Leaf was silent for a minute and then, "well, okay we were on a picnic at the lake and you fell in and drowned" she concluded.

Arthur nodded his agreement.

"What do I tell Artemis?"

Arthur muttered angrily. "Nothing's ever simple." He pondered for a moment. "Just tell him the story." Arthur concluded. "If he doesn't believe well, but I can't think of anything to tell him. You know he's awfully sharp"

Leaf bobbed her head up and down. "Alright, I suppose we could go inside now"

"Oh no you don't" Arthur said rising and clasping her hand, I have things to take care of"

"Like what?" Leaf inquired.

Arthur smiled. "You. One last time like nature intended" he repeated.

"In nature" Leaf confirmed.

"Alright!" Arthur chuckled, hardly unable to believe what he was agreeing to. "The bush over there or—"

"Couldn't you conjure someplace out of nothing?"

"I could" Arthur beamed. He still had residual power he thought hard and in a flash, the couple gazing at the stars on the hill was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter Two_

Arthur rolled over the next morning and peered at the clock. Seven thirty. Groggily he rose and started getting dressed. Leaf was a heavy sleeper and so went undisturbed. Arthur quickly walked down the hall and was en route to the kitchen for a cup of coffee when he spotted Artemis sitting at the dining table, munching on Kellogg's frosted flakes. "Morning Artemis"

"Morning Dad" his son mumbled between mouthfuls. "In a hurry Dad?" Artemis asked taking note of his father's rather peculiar haste that morning.

"Hmm? Gah!" he yelped as he poured coffee on his hand. "Actually son, yes" he snatched at paper towel and ran cold water on his hand. "Are you ready for school?"

Artemis nodded his eyes smiling out at Arthur from underneath a baseball cap. Artemis looked just like his father, the same eyes, the same dark hair, and a spitting image of him. And he acted like Arthur too, in limited ways, at times he could be terribly pessimistic, and at others rather free willed like his mother. Arthur frowned at his son. "That cap won't do" he scratched his head. "It's sporting but it's the school's dress code" he continued looking over Artemis; he was wearing the same dopey uniform Arthur had had to wear on his first day. Briefly he recalled when he had been forced to go on a cross-country run in that same immobile uniform and gotten thrown into that whole Universe mess. That reminded him of something. "Don't go on the cross country run," Arthur advised absently as he jammed toast into his mouth.

"What?"

"I said 'don't go on the cross country run,'" he repeated.

"Why?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Okay, You have to be at school in forty five minutes and I have someplace to be so I'm going to make this really quick" Arthur began and sped through his adventure that had started on a Monday during a phys ed class, the whole bit about the Keys to the Kingdom, the House, Suzy, The Architect, and his roll in the whole scheme of things. After he was finished Artemis blinked at him wide eyed and for a heart stopping moment Arthur thought he hadn't believed him.

"A house?" Artemis said at last. Arthur hastily agreed.

"Like the one across the street? We have new neighbors, I think"

Arthur's face registered shock. "What?" he dashed to the door and looked out the window and sure enough there it was, the looming monstrosity that was the epicenter of the universe. He caught his breath and gaped in wonder. Now Arthur was sure that it was time. Then he though of something, he whipped his head around and looked down at his son. "You can see it?"

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Who couldn't see that thing, it's huge." He moved in next to Arthur to look outside as well. "I wonder if they have children" Artemis thought aloud and then looked up at Arthur. "So that's it eh? The epicenter of the universe, and you rule over it?"

It sounded ridiculous now to him, hearing his son put it in such basic terms. "Yes" Arthur admitted. He shook his head to register what Artemis had just suggested. "Children? No" he said "the House is just a…." he trailed off unsure of how to explain in such a limited time frame. "All right just know that I love you and your mother very much, and, um, err, don't go on that stupid run, don't listen to strange voices or weird weather and oh, don't go on that run!" he kissed his son's forehead and before Artemis could say a goodbye of his own, his father was across the street and reaching for the handle of the Front Door. Before his very eyes his father disappeared never to be seen again.

"He's gone already isn't he?" he heard his mothers voice behind him. Leaf had snuck up behind him without hi realizing it.

Artemis looked up at her and saw the water threatening to spill down her cheeks from her eyes. "Yes. Left just now" The breath was choked out of him as his mother swooped in and encompassed him in her arms, brushing his hair and holding him tight, while weeping very quietly on his shoulder. "Mom, your---erg---choking"

"Oh sorry" Leaf pulled away and began straightening her clothes, she wore a black pinstripe blazer with a pair of blue torn jeans with converse shoes. She looked like a very old teenager. Her choppy hair was clipped on the side with a green leaf and her shoulder bag slung casually over her right shoulder. "It's just that, well you know, just you and me now"

"It'll be alright mom. With Dad controlling the universe we'll be okay and…." Artemis paused and wrinkled his nose as he looked up at his mother. "You cut your hair yourself again, didn't you" he scolded.

Leaf tousled his hair and then opened the front door. "Just like your father" she mused.

"If he's told you once he's told you a thousand times to go to a salon" Artemis continued.

"I will!" Leaf said exasperatedly. "Right after I drop you off I will" she ticked a glance at her watch and ushered him out the door. "Now stop jabbering and get in the car. I've got ten minutes to get you there on time"

Artemis walked ahead and hopped in on the passenger's side. "No Speeding" Artemis said. Cautious Arthur speaking through him. Leaf blew hair out of her face. "You sound more and more like Arthur with each passing minute"

"I have to" Artemis replied with conviction. "What with him being away and all, got to keep a bit of him around"

Leaf smiled. "Yes, I suppose we do"

On the other side 

Arthur went through the front door and found that he was standing before the lieutenant keeper on Doorstop Hill. "Greeting Lord Arthur! What a fine young man you have become. Would you like a disguise?"

"Yes actually" Arthur said. For old times sake he thought, for some reason he had grown rather fond of disguises over the years. It took a moment for the lieutenant to shove a wiry arm at Arthur from within the door, a pile of Victorian age clothes. Arthur rifled through that, picking out an outfit very reminiscent of the first costume the lieutenant keeper had ever supplied him with accompanied with a brown floppy sort of cap. He touched his knuckles to his forehead in a salute and then continued down into town the way he had so many Mondays ago.

Upon arrival Arthur wasn't the least bit surprised to find almost everything as it had been before. _Amazing how times passes so quickly here and yet nothing has changed_. Arthur shook his head. Of course _something_ must have changed. More than millennia had passed here at the House. So Arthur continued through the town as cautiously as he could. He had been right, strung up all over were banners that read: Welcome Lord Arthur Rightful Heir to the Keys to the Kingdom. Further down were people shuffling posters and plastering them on the walls, all donning the same ridiculous portrait of him with broad shoulders and wearing majestic Victorian garments. Arthur shook his head. He was glad he had decided to use a disguise. If everyone here in Lower House was so excited about him, he couldn't imagine what sort of Welcome he would receive in Upper House.

Still the usual business of exchanging notes and papers carried on, and it wasn't long before someone shoved a parcel at Arthur and told hi to get a move on. Obviously he had been mistaken for one of the deliverymen. But why stir up trouble, Arthur nodded, took the parcel and headed quickly down the road the man had just directed him. He was nearing the shop when he heard a sound. A Whistle. His heart sank and his breath quickened, recalling the warning bell for nithlings. But this sound was different, a sort of rattling whisper, like a constables whistle, or that of an old kettle, and almost more of a nuisance than alarming. He then heard another sound. The clatter of hooves. He glanced over his shoulder to see a carriage drawn by horse like creatures barreling along the road. Arthur stepped to the side to let them pass but instead the carriage changed direction and began to follow him. He blinked twice tugged at his collar and then started off in a sprint.

"Hey you, that's my parcel!" a man called a Arthur rushed by.

"Sorry!" Arthur yelled, running furiously to escape his strange pursuers. No matter how he dodged, the carriage followed and seemed to gather speed, and every so often he heard the driver yelling.

"Yah! Yah!" followed by a snap of the reins and an aggravated grunt from the beasts tugging it along. People moved aside as the Arthur came by, appearing only for a moment puzzled and then resuming their previous tasks. Arthur was still running charging at full speed and making turns down strange streets. And still there was the tumble of the wheels close behind. _This is mad_. Arthur thought and suddenly stopped and turned around to face the carriage. Lest he spend the rest of an eternity running. But the carriage wasn't stopping, it seemed to be accelerating there was Arthur standing rigid now in fright. He was going to be trampled, crushed under the constant churn of hoof and wheel.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three 

_You can't die in the house. _Arthur opened one eye to see the still gaining carriage he snapped it back shut and continued pleading. _You can't die in the house. _Arthur braced himself for the impact. _But I'm sure it'll feel like death._ Clopping, creaking, the wheels and the beasts closer with each passing second. _I only just got back. Whoever runs me over'll probably be punished for hurting me,_ Were his last thoughts.

The Left Behind 

Artemis clambered out of the car and said bye to his mother. "Later Mom"

"I'll be waiting right outside the school." She assured and pulled off. Artemis turned around to face his new school. It was an imposing building. Tall and brick walled, some of which were surely cracked. He grimaced and started up the steps. As he reached the double front doors he snatched off his hat and stuffed it in his backpack. The halls had only a few stragglers, those of which were obviously in no hurry to get to class. He thought of looking for his room himself but figured he didn't have time to get lost on his first day and headed for the office to get directions.

"Good morning" he began cheerfully.

The receptionist looked up at him over glasses from behind her desk. "Can I help you?" she drawled.

"Yes, do you know where room 209 is?"

"Probably on the second floor" she grumped.

Only then did Artemis take note that the receptionist was in actuality a student, perhaps in an older grade. She was obviously snippy, and what one would call an outcast of sorts. Her hair was dyed a deep navy blue and tied back, her eyes were gray and her clothes appeared to be an excruciatingly modified version of the school uniform. But in spite of all that, she was actually sort of pretty.

Artemis stuttered before answering. " Could you tell me where to find the staircase?"

"It's just down the hall dimwit. Don't you know that?" then a funny look crossed her face. "Hold on, you're a newbie, aren't you?"

"For lack of a better phrase yes" he snapped. "D'you think I'd ask for directions in a place I know?" he huffed.

The girl removed her thick black-rimmed glasses and smirked at him. "Nah, I just thought you looked like a milksop that was afraid of his own shadow."

Artemis fumed. "Just tell me where the staircase is, please"

"Right down this here hall, you can't miss it"

"Thank you" He turned on his heel and as he did so he pulled his cap out of his bag and stuffed it back on his head.

"Hey! No caps dingus" the girl called.

Artemis looked over his shoulder at her standing up behind the desk with her hands on her hips. "if they let you walk around the school in that abomination of a uniform, I don't see why'd they bother with my hat" and he left the door swinging behind him.

He checked the number on the door before he walked in. The last thing he wanted was to walk into the wrong classroom on his first day. 209 it read. He pushed on the door and saw that every one was just milling about, picking seats and chatting to friends. Since Artemis had just switched to this school from the one out of town, he didn't have any friends to talk to so he found a seat.

"Hey"

Artemis looked up, a boy, rather dark complexioned with his hair cut low smiled at him. "Names Jordan Dukes." He extended his hand to Artemis.

"Artemis Penhaligon"

"Cool" Jordan said. "Sorry Artemis, but, well you're kinda in my seat"

"Oh, sorry"

"no, no, it's cool I'll just sit net to ya then," Jordan winked. "This way the teach can't see me pass my notes. She always caught me where you sit"

Just then the 'Teach' walked in. She sandy colored hair and bright blue eyes. "Morning class"

There was a series of mixed replies and then she started in immediately on math. Artemis groaned. Math had never been his subject.

It was third period, right before lunch and a class before Artemis had made a good show of coughing and wheezing as much as he could so that the class could testify to him being sick. Still he changed into gym clothes and began stretching as vigorously as he could, the picture of the determined, weak student. He lined up with the rest outside in the park and got his first view of the field his father had spoken of. There it was, the oval, the place it all began. Part of him still wanted to run, but the other part of him kept echoing his father's advice. The gym teacher started walking down the line of boys and girls to make sure they were dressed properly, as he neared Artemis, Artemis gave one last rattling cough and then pretended to take a deep puff on his inhaler.

"You sick?"

Artemis shook his head no and coughed some more.

"No way, go sit down over there on the grass, count ants or somethin' but you ain't goin' on this run. Last time my father sent out a sick kid on a run he collapsed at the oval. That sure isn't gonna happen to me. Go" he shooed Artemis away and then went on to outline the course for the students. Artemis walked shakily over to a bench and sat down.

"Eh, newbie"

He rolled his eyes and looked up. "You again,"

"Just wanted to let you know, caps definitely aren't allowed, and I can do whatever the heck I want with my school uniform."

"That's nice, and?"

The girl opened her mouth to speak again but then froze. Artemis looked around and saw that his class was frozen too. After a moment they started up again but in fast-forward. The girl continued talking but he didn't hear a word, and then she just walked away. It suddenly became darker and Artemis glanced up at the sky, he blinked twice and then rubbed his eyes. There, in the sky, was the moon. He looked at his watch and it read 11:30am. "Okay dad, you can sort this out," he murmured as the stars began to come out.

The House 

The wind rushed by him and he felt a yank at his collar. Arthur opened his eyes and saw the ground moving quickly below him then he felt another yank, near choking him and he was hauled onto the carriage next to the seated driver.

"You've put on weight Artie"

Arthur peered at the person sitting next to him. They were dressed like a man, but a disheveled one, with a lopsided cap and their hair tied haphazardly on the side. "Suzy?"

"What'd ya think I was gonna say, 'Climb idiot'?" She snapped the reins once more and the horses took off like lightening. Arthur had to hold onto his hat and fought hard against the urge to throw up.

"By the by, good to see you again, Artie, house ain't been the same without you"

"Good to—ulp—see you--oof! —Too Suzy"

"What's wrong with you? You got a frog in the throat or something?"

Arthur shook his head. "No, riding—making me—erg—sick"

"Oh well, long as it isn't a pain in the midsection or the like, the ride'll smooth out soon as I gets you to old Madame"

"Dame Primus?"

"Yeah, sent me to get you. Hold on to your ears!" she yelled.

"My what!" Arthur yelled back, the wind whistling in his ears.

"Ears!" she gestured for him to hold his ear lobes.

As he did so Arthur shouted. "Why?"

"Wind can tear them right off in 'ere" she replied, gripping the reins in her teeth and grabbing her own ear lobes.

Arthur shook his head. Everything was just as strange as ever. _Some things never change._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four 

They landed in a sort of Courtyard, with tall sweeping gates. Arthur squinted and could see a flag flailing from the top tower with his face plastered upon it. He grimaced, was he suppose to live an eternity of people doing nothing but honoring him? Suzy hopped out of the carriage and looked up at the mansion. "Upper House" she said. "Been remodeled twice since you left by order of Dame Primus. You like it?"

"Yes." He replied. Admittedly, it was a beautiful if not most certainly historic castle that appeared to have a drawbridge and everything.

"Alright, see you later then"

Arthur whirled around. "Later? What do you mean?"

"Got business to do you know. I'll be back later for the party and whatnot, but go on, Dames waiting for you, this is your home now, Arthur" She plucked a pocket watch out of her coat pocket and frowned. With that Suzy turned the carriage and trotted away from the gates, a moment later the carriage dived downwards and he could hear her yelling as she went sailing back down into Lower House to take care of whatever business she had. Arthur balled his fists and took a good long look at what lay ahead of him. 'This is your home now, Arthur' _Home_ he thought. _How could this be my home? My home was back on earth, full with people I loved, people I grew up with. _He started for the gate, as he pushed against it, it creaked and Arthur was half afraid it would topple over on top of him. It did sway, but it made no other advancement in his direction. He continued down the cobblestone path, his destiny moving ever closer to him. And the whole time all Arthur could think about was how wrong this was. _How could this be my home? My home was in the familiar streets, schools that taught me all I know. _ The drawbridge came crashing down and it was very necessary for Arthur to skip back a couple of paces so as not to be crushed. In that instant, a jolt ran threw him, he began a light jog across the bridge, quickly evolving into a sprint, soon a hard fast run. As he burst through the grand doors, as he went charging up the staircase he so easily found. His heart was pounding his mind racing and all that whispered in his ear were these words. _Home. How could this be my home? Home was with my son, and no strange circumstances. Home. How could this be my home? Home was with my wife, and no life risking chances._ He began to slow as he reached another door, he opened it and started stomping up the spiraling stair case, he came out on a veranda sort of balcony, linked to the highest tower, his banner flickering overhead.

He looked off below him he saw all, he saw the lights of elevator shafts, he could even see the Border Sea, he could see Doorstop Hill, mocking him in the distance. There were mountains that towered above, cold and graced with snow, just above a rolling meadow. Smoke unfurled into the sky; from chimneys down below, he could hear the call of one Denizen to another. And there he was, an insignificant speck in his world, and the master of universe. _Home. How could this be my home? Home is where the heart is, where lies tender memories. _"Home" he whispered. "How could this be my home? An eternity of looking on, to what was once home to me"

"Who goes there?" a voice commanded behind him.

Arthur turned from the railing and looked back at the arched doorway to see Dame Primus standing there. She was just as imposing as ever and if possible even taller. She was gazing down at Arthur through cold eyes, her platinum hair swept up away from her face. The outlines of her wing shimmered over her head. "Who goes there?" she repeated.

_Good to see she got that Froggy thing sorted out_ Arthur noticed of Dame's smooth alto voice.

"Don't you recognize me?" Arthur asked.

Dame Primus sniffed. "No," she gave him a once over and then continued. "Though I don't regret it"

Arthur hauled off his cap as the wind picked up. His hat was torn from his fingers and blown in the wind. Already Arthur could see it heading in the direction of the Border Sea. "Dame Primus" he began, shocked at how deep and commanding his voice sounded in the house. "It's me Arthur"

Dame Primus chortled. "Arthur, dressed in a beggars—oh!" She only then properly saw his face. "Arthur! Oh Lord Arthur!" she clapped her hands enthusiastically and rushed forward to embrace him. Arthur squirmed; nothing was more unsettling than being held by a woman nearly eight feet tall and as powerful as a lumberjack. "At last you have returned to us"

Arthur raised once eyebrow. "What do you mean? You called me didn't you? To tell me I had to come back to the house?"

Dame Primus pulled back; "Called you?" she let go of him entirely and began striding along the balcony. "Yes, yes I suppose I did, but, well it wasn't for that really."

Arthur fumed. "What for then?"

"Your Anniversary" she replied casually.

"My what? He stuttered

"Nearly twenty years ago in your time today, you claimed the seventh key and vanquished the morrow days"

Arthur began massaging his temples. He had left his family at home, told them he wouldn't be coming back, for an anniversary party. "Well, after it's done I can go home then, right?"

Dame frowned and gripped her chin. "Give me pause." She said. One impossibly long minute passed and Arthur all along was blowing steam out of his ears. _This is what you get for not answering the_ _phone,_ he thought bitterly. "I am terribly sorry Arthur, but no, you can't go back home now."

"Oh for the love of Creation!" he cried. "Why not?"

Dame Primus reached into her sleeve and produced a rolled up scroll. "I was calling to give you this," she handed it over to Arthur. Arthur took it and unraveled it to take a look. "It was a formal invitation to your celebration, one laced with a spell that the House would recognize as a sort of pass to enter and then leave the house. But you never picked up the phone and I was unable to give it to you. Since you have entered the House without it, the House has assumed you are here to stay, to rule. You will not be granted reentry into your realm"

Arthur had spent years mastering the art of arresting his anger, but now he could fight no longer. He yelled, he threw his head back and shrieked. He beat his hands against his head and gripped at his hair, even managing to tear out some.

"Now, now. You would've had to return soon after. Better to have gotten it all over with, no?"

"No!" Arthur spat. "No! I would've had time to say a proper goodbye, I might've even been able to see Artemis off to school"

"You have a son?"

"Yes!" He shouted. "And a wife!"

Dame Primus smiled for a moment. "A son is good, an heir if anything should happen to you"

Arthur was silent while he gaped at his steward in disbelief. "YOU WILL NOT GET ARTEMIS INVOLVED!" he bellowed. "MY SON IS TO BE LEFT IN PEACE! HE IS NO FUTURE HEIR!" his voice echoed around them, diminishing every time it was heard. "HEIR! Heir! Heir"

Dame Primus narrowed her eyes and then huffed. "There really was not need to shout Arthur." She crinkled her nose and looked down at her watch. "It's off again," she muttered, ticking a glance up at the darkening sky above. "Come, it is time for your celebration and coronation" she rotated as if on a dais towards the archway and gestured for Arthur to follow. He followed her, angry with her and immensely with himself. Why the devil hadn't he just picked up the bloody phone?

Peculiar Happenings 

Artemis still stared mesmerized at the twinkling lights in the sky. Currently his classmates shared his bewilderment, all of them pointing and murmuring like little children who'd just seen a plane for the first time. For his own peace of mind Artemis checked his watch again to find that it had now gone two hours backwards. He scowled at it and pressed his ear to the face of clock, listening for any sort of irregular ticking. It sounded normal. He looked at it again and cursed. _It can' be broken, this is a new watch, Dad bought for me just last week_. He took it off his wrist and continued examining it. The watch was still progressing backwards, now reading seven am. He heard Coach Weightman Jr. Shouting and ushering all of the students back into the school. Artemis, still wary of the strange behavior of his watch and the sudden appearance of a night sky hustled after them. _Dad can fix it,_ he comforted himself. _Dad can fix it. _


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five 

As Arthur followed Dame Primus back inside to the castle he was lead to what he supposed was to be his chambers and thrust into the care of an unmistakably familiar face. Arthur's eyes goggled at the man now laying out several pairs of trousers and four different coats on his bed, not to mention the five shirts and the choice of three neckties next to them. "Ah, just one of the duties of being a gentleman's gentleman my lord" he smiled.

"Ichabod?" Arthur queried.

"Yes my, lord?"

Arthur paused and then a smile broke across his face. "I really wasn't expecting to see you"

"Course not, your Dresser had a nervous breakdown at the last minute, I was called in to substitute if you will. Now," he swept his hands towards the bed. "Which pair of trousers, shirt, coat, belt, necktie, and boots would you like to wear this evening?"

Arthur made a few random selections which he was positive would make him appear to be nothing less than a court jester and was surprised to see his handsome reflection in the mirror.

"I dare say you have been schooled quite well in the proper way of dress" Ichabod smiled over Arthur's shoulder in the mirror. "You look absolutely dashing my lord. Now if you please, There are others I must attend to." He looked down at a small index card in his hand and rolled his eyes. "Oh, him, he does nothing but squirm when he's being fitted" Ichabod sighed. He turned to Arthur and bowed and left the room progressing to the room three doors down. Arthur could hear the person answer the door.

"Oh I see you have come to ensure, be certain of, take care, be responsible for, to see if I am dressed properly, adequately, suited to the occasion…."

"Yes, yes, yes, all of that now go on and let's get this over with" Ichabod grouched.

"Of course" they answered.

"Now a few of these appear to need alterations, if you'll just put them on and I'll tack them in—"

"Are you sure that needle isn't too sharp, very slight, pointy, razor like…."

"Oh do be quiet!"

Arthur heard the door slam after that, but still he could hear fussing as he started down the stairs. At the bottom there was another oval mirror hanging on the wall. He paused briefly at that, patting down his hair and then was about to continue when he heard a crash upstairs.

"Please Madame, I was only making the necessary adjustments"

"Adjustments my foot!" came the haughty answer. "Right jabbed me with that there needle"

"Almost done," the voice soothed.

There was quiet and then a whispered reply. "I hope so, can't very well move in all these blasted skirts, and do I really need the hat? We're in side tarnation!"

The corner of Arthur's mouth quirked up as he looked up the stairs.

"Oww! That's hair up there you know, not a rug!"

"If Madame would only be still for a moment"

"I'm right rigid! All this fabric and lace tied about my neck like some sort o' leash"

"Almost done milady"

Arthur was doubled over in laughter now, for he was sure he knew who was making all the fuss with her Dresser. The door banged open and out came a flurry of cloth and hair, fleeing further down the hall. "I'll dress myself!" she called.

"Oh please, " the maid attending to her pleaded. "Only another moment" she called following her distraught mistress. Moments later another door opened and Ichabod came jogging down the steps.

"Can't tell you how good it is to get away from him," he jerked a thumb at the man following after him with his head held high.

"Thank you my Goodman for assisting, helping, aiding, offering guidance…"

"Don't you ever shut up!" Ichabod screeched, the most rude and improper thing he had ever said. "Terribly sorry my Lord." He bowed getting a hold of himself and hurrying away again.

"He's very high-strung, uptight, rigid, easily annoyed, that fellow"

Arthur gaped at the man. "Japeth. It's good to see you again"

"Hmm? Oh, oh!" Japeth grabbed Arthur's hand and shook it vigourously "Arthur! Well it's rather pleasing to see you again after such a long time!"

Arthur laughed. "I'm sure it is"

"Hold it, hold it, hold it!" The woman was heading towards the steps with her skirts bunched in her hands so she wouldn't fall. The maid hurried after her scissors in hand.

"I just need to snip off…" she aimed carefully for a loose piece of cloth dangling from the dress. Her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth as she did so. "There, you're done"

"Bout Time!" She pulled away and plodded down the steps to the bottom where she let her skirts fall and she finally stopped fussing. Arthur was silent for a time upon seeing her. Never in his life had he ever seen so many clothes on one person, and she didn't look at all frumpy or old. Suzy glared at him. "What, what're you looking at?" she tugged at her skirts again nervously.

"Nothing," Arthur answered promptly still in awe of Suzy. Her dress was flowing in a cream color, with pearls sewn in around the neckline, which Arthur couldn't help but see as low, well, for Suzy anyway. There was also a ruffled sort of lacey collar around her neck with a cameo set in it. Arthur only blushed slightly when he realized his profile was on the cameo. Suzy noticed what he was looking at and tugged on the collar.

"It's too tight for starters," She said. "And that little thing with you has become fashion. Dame Primus commanded me to wear it tonight"

"Oh that's not fair" Arthur answered.

"No, it really is rather inopportune, unfair, lacking merit,"

"Once a thesaurus always a thesaurus" Suzy muttered. "Let's get going already, everybody's waiting for you, and I'm hungry, I hope they have those cream puffs I like" she said and began walking five paces ahead of Arthur heading for the hall where surely everyone was waiting. Japeth followed after her and Arthur stayed behind a moment still thinking. _This is it._

Suzy had been right, everybody _was_ there. There were the chief servants, which numbered twenty one, seven Dawns, seven Noons and seven Dusks, not to mention Dame Primus, and her own array of guests. Arthur had hoped to melt into the crowd and maybe spend the night chatting with Japeth and Suzy, and Mondays Noon if ever he became available but upon entry Dame Primus spotted him and called everyone's attention to him at once. Immediately all of them bowed and swept deep curtsies, a stream of greetings creating a racket.

"Greetings, Lord, Arthur, Lord, Lord, greetings, Arthur, greetings, Arthur, Lord, Arthur"

He waved shyly like a schoolboy meeting his class for the first time and before he could get a word in Dame Primus approached him and slipped a heavy chain over his head. "The Architect left this for the Heir" she explained. "To be given to them before being bestowed with all of the keys"

Arthur swallowed hard. It was all becoming much too real too fast, _he_ wasn't even believing it anymore. Him, master of the Universe? No, no, no, it couldn't be, but there was Dame Primus, already handing over the first key to him, hilt first. It felt comfortingly heavy in his hand, but before Arthur could get use to it the gauntlet gloves were handed over to him. Then came the trident and before Arthur could blink, he was adorned in glittering objects. He could feel the power flowing through him, changing him entirely, and recreating him in the image of their wielder. He was becoming a Denizen; it was winding through his fingers and crawling up his neck in a not so much painful but rather uncomfortable way. His nose tingled and his head felt hot. He kept seeing flashes of his past before his eyes and a new worry came to Arthur. _My life is flashing before me eyes_ he realized frantically. _I'm going to die, the power is too much all at once, and I'm going to, _there was a collective gasp as everyone saw their master teeter on the spot and then topple backwards.

"Arthur!" he heard a voice yell and the shuffle of footsteps coming closer to him. "Arthur?" the voice asked. It sounded so familiar, could it be?

"Leaf?" he murmured, his head still buzzing and his temperature rising.

"Arthur,"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six 

Artemis sat on the front steps of the school, waiting for his mother to pick him up, which was supposed to be waiting for him as soon as school was out. All of the other kids hurried out, fleeing quickly down the steps to get home. By the clock, school ended at three o' five, of course assuming that the clocks were running normally, but according to Artemis's watch it was eight o'clock pm, with the sun still looming above. Artemis couldn't figure out who had it wrong, the clocks, or the solar system. Presently neither was a very comforting thought.

"Newbie" a familiar voice called. Artemis grunted and pretended to be very intrigued with an ant crawling along the pavement. Twice he had collided with this girl today, and he had not become fonder of her at any moment.

"Newbie" she repeated.

Glaring, Artemis looked up at the girl. "What?" he snapped.

"And rude too" she laughed sitting down next to him. Artemis squirmed. The last thing he wanted was for this girl to sit next to him. "name's, Timina"

"And why on earth would I want to know your name?"

"You tell me,"

Artemis couldn't believe this. She was interfering with him and had the nerve to play coy as well.

"Listen, quite frankly I don't think you're a very nice person. And I don't care to know your name, or continue these impromptu chats for that matter"

"See that's the problem. You're a very nice person, who's organized, and the first one today I'm sure to notice something has gone wrong. You're very perceptive"

"Thank you" Artemis grunted.

Timina smirked and rose to her feet, dusting off her clothing she continued, "I'm sorry, Artemis, I'm sorry I have such wretched timing, but it really can't be helped, and I was hoping you could help me" She looked down at him, still smirking. "Actually, I know you can, and will" Before Artemis could object Timina had already started down the sidewalk, and maybe it was just a figment of Artemis's imagination, but he could have sworn he saw her grow taller, and disappear in a flash of light.

Recovery 

Arthur turned over groggily; he rubbed his eyes and had to think hard about what was happening. He had been at home, than the phone rang, he didn't answer it, he came to the House, Dame Primus told him he couldn't go back home, he was at a party, he fainted and…when his brain finally caught up Arthur sat up and looked around, he was back in his chambers, the room Ichabod had dressed him in the night before. He shook his head, no that couldn't be right; time was strange in the House so he knew it couldn't have happened last night. "How long was I out for?" he moaned not even thinking to wonder if anyone was in the room to answer him.

"A fortnight and four days" came the only slightly irritated reply.

Arthur glanced at the door to find Suzy leaning on the door frame, once again in a man's apparel, but very well dressed with polished boots and even a proper top hat, she had gleaming buttons on her coat and a pipe that hung casually out the side of her mouth. Her right hand rested gingerly on a walking stick with a parrot head shaped handle. Her hair was in a neat side ponytail.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Some sort of Time lapse" she answered as she began to twirl the cane in her right hand.

"Time Lapse?"

"Hard to explain, the key power was to much for you to start with 'n' and then I guess the total time change from your world to ours, well had some sort of weird effect on you. But you're alright now aren't you?" she stopped twirling the stick and came over to his bedside. "Gave us a fright back at the party. Nearly gave me a heart attack really." She wrinkled her nose. "If I could have one"

"Whatever it was, it was awful, I saw my life flash before my eyes, and I felt all dizzy" just thinking about it made his head swim again.

"What matter's is that your alright and can start taking care o' your business" she frowned as a very loud ticking began emitting from her coat.

She pulled out her pocket watch, gave it a quick polish with a blue spotted handkerchief and peered at it closely. "Something's off with this 'ere clock" she muttered. "Should've known some part of it would be faulty though, came from a Secondary Realm, got it 'bout a month ago, House time"

Dame Primus entered then, wearing a pale green gown. She cleared her throat and then began to speak. "On that subject, hello Suzy"

"How do, Dame"

Dame Primus sniffed and then continued. "Many of the things from the Secondary realms are malfunctioning." She paused to pull out a list. "Such as clocks, the suns and moons are no longer following their usual ordinance, I'm afraid that does pose a problem."

"Does it have to do with Nothing?" Arthur asked.

"'Course it has to with Nothing, nothing doesn't ever not have to do with Nothing" Suzy reprimanded.

Dame Primus looked askance at Suzy, a look that Arthur read as _I do wish you wouldn't speak unless spoken to_. "I am unsure Arthur. But until further information can be gathered, you have other duties to fulfill"

"Fine, just let me get dressed" he shooed them out of the room and with dismay, hurriedly put on the garments that had been arranged for him. _I wonder if I'll ever be able to pick my own clothes again?_ He wondered. When finished Arthur started down the steps to find an assembly already waiting for him in the foyer, Dame Primus was seated behind a grand oak desk, with papers piled before her, simply absorbing the information. Suzy stood at the front of the queue trying to keep people in order.

"Now pipe down before I have to conk you on the head with this 'ere walking stick!" she threatened a Denizen. Behind Dame Primus were seven chief servants. Two Noons, Dusks, and three Dawns.

"What's this?" Arthur swept his hand towards the line up of Denizens that seemed to extend to the front gate.

"Requests my lord," answered one of the Noons.

"And what're you here for?" he demanded.

"Suggestions" a Dawn chirped. "And to bring your attention to the most dire of House matters, those of more importance than these minor complaints"

"Don't say that," Arthur scolded. He didn't want the Denizens to get a wrong impression of him. The last thing he needed was to 'go away' like the Architect did. "But I suppose I will start with you first. Okay, first err, um, idea?"

"Fashion has been the same for ages now" The same Dawn whimpered.

Arthur chuckled. "Okay, a real matter now" he encouraged.

"She's quite serious Lord Arthur" Wednesday's Dawn said. "After Fashion goes stale, so do the inhabitants, nothing works quite as well as it use to from the era Fashion was chosen, we've had the same Fashion for eons, were are in need of refreshing" after she finished speaking their was a sound of agreement coming from the others so Arthur complied.

"What should it be then?"

"We've done everything from Victoria to Prairie, to Medieval and Western, and I do recall a period of Salem. And a time before that something very metallic and shiny, with everyone wearing jet packs instead of wings" said Sunday's Dusk.

Arthur frowned. Master of the Universe and his first chore was to change Fashion. The epicenter of the Universe, the place from which everything was wrought, needed a new Fashion, and if he didn't change it things would presumably go awry. He thought about what he could possibly change it to when his fingers began to tingle. He looked down at his gauntleted hands and remembered what they were for. He raised his hands above his head, closing his eyes and concentrated. _Something different_, he paused, _something simple, and_ _grand at the same time, something familiar, so in a way I still feel at home_. He clapped his hands together and he could feel the power surging through him again, but in a controlled manner, viscous as it flowed through him and out, recreating the image of everything in the House. There was the sound of whistling wind, and thunder overhead. Then there was silence and trumpeting, Arthur took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

Everyone in the foyer stared at one another in bewilderment. All of the Denizens found themselves dressed in robes and togas with flat sandals, all varying in color. Currently, Dame Primus was glaring at him over her spectacles. On top of her head was a gold horned helmet and with a start Arthur noticed what else had angered her so. The Will had shrunk. Not tiny, but almost the size of Arthur, perhaps even shorter. He furrowed his eyebrows and wondered what or whom Dame Primus reminded him of. Arthur blinked and then laughed as he recalled a class he had taken in high school on Greek mythology. That was the first class he had ever taken with Leaf, and they had started dating back then.

Now looking at Dame Primus and, everyone, he was able to put two and two together, he had recreated the gods of the Greek, Hermes, the messenger, also known as Dame Primus, Aphrodite the form one of the Dawn's had taken. A very gloomy dusk wore the garment of Hades, there was the god of war and the goddess of knowledge and Arthur, of course was Zeus. Everyone seemed rather pleased with the change except for Dame; admittedly, her new form was rather comical.

"I like my trousers and hat thank you very much" Suzy interrupted his thoughts as she looked down disdainfully at her gown, pinned at both shoulders with gold bands creating an empire waist. She stuck out one foot than the other, grimacing at the sandals. "Don't like it one bit Artie, but I 'spose it'll have to do"

Arthur caught his breath when he saw her. She was wearing the same outfit Leaf had worn their first Halloween together; they had gone as Hera and Zeus, to Ed's party. He cleared his head and then rubbed his hands together.

"Any other cosmetic matters?" Arthur inquired.

"None my lord" the chief servants replied and vanished before his eyes in different colored plumes of smoke.

"Good, because I'm not an interior decorator" he grumbled and turned to the increasing line of Denizens. "Alright whose first?"

Elsewhere 

She came through the porthole and threw off the pitiful human shape in a corner. Standing before a mirror she stretched herself to her appropriate height and pulled at her sprigs of curling hair. She rubbed her brown skin to revive her gold etched tattoos and wrapped herself in immaterial fabric. This was exactly the problem she feared, her contract with the Secondary Realms was running out, and according to her article of the Will, she still needed to appoint an heir to that. She sat down behind a cloud and produced a quill and scroll out of the thin air and began to write. She had urgent matters to discuss, or else the Secondary Realms would forever be in disarray.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven 

A twelvemonth had passed already since Arthur had returned and had since then been kept very, very, busy. He was striding along the boardwalk in Port Wednesday admiring the recreated temples that had been erected instead of the old shops when he heard Suzy coming up behind him in a standing chariot. She was wearing a helmet with a single long red feather sticking out of it, and armor. No matter what the Fashion, Suzy preferred the operational apparel of a man. " Dame wants you, so on you get" She draped him up by the scruff of his neck and flung him in next to her.

"I think I'll drive this time Suzy," he said, snatching the reins from her before she could protest.

"Now, now, I know these parts fare well and for you to tell me I oughtn't drive well I'm right hurt"

"Sorry Suzy but I don't want to get sick on the way. Yah!" he called and they charged up into the clouds.

Dame was waiting for them at the front pillars of Upper House, arms folded crossly in front of her and every so often snarling at the Upper House. She still wasn't use to its new format. "This is not at all as I planned!" she had screeched. "A winged imp!" she had complained, dashing her helmet to the ground. Of course she had more reason than anybody to be mad, she had been reduced the most in status since the change had come, and no one much took her seriously anymore.

"You have a scroll Arthur" Dame announced as they landed thrusting it out before her as though it was something vile.

"Hold on, well let me get off first" Arthur called, hopping out of the chariot.

"Hurry up already, I'm going to have some tea and brandy" Dame huffed and dropped the scroll right before Arthur reached her, he had to dive to catch it, getting sand and dirt allover his robe.

"Ain't had much pomp since she became a fairy" Suzy sniggered as she removed her helmet and came over to Arthur. "Well, who's it from?" she leaned over his shoulder to glimpse the seal on it. "Ain't any seal of the House, at least not that I know of who's it from?"

"Lean off me for a second, you're crowding me" Arthur shirked Suzy off and gazed at the seal on the scroll. Suzy was right. It wasn't like any seal found in the House, it certainly didn't bear his crowned laurel head on it the way it usually did. Nope, this seal was a silvering sort of blue, with an hourglass and clock face melded together.

"Read it" Suzy nudged him in the side.

Arthur glared at her and then sat down cross-legged. He waited for Suzy to pull up ground next to him before he opened it.

"_To Arthur Penhaligon, Rightful Heir to the Keys to the Kingdom and Master of the Lower House, the Middle House, and the Upper House, the Far Reaches, the Great Maze, the Incomparable Gardens, the Border Sea, and the regions beyond the House known as the Secondary Realms._

_I, Mistress Time, Operator and Keeper of the clocks, the reason Time in the House does run true, do request an audience with you to discuss infinite and eternal matters of my direst concern, concerning my article of the Will. As for when, whenever is prudent, and not a moment sooner._

_Time is of the Essence, or my Essence at least."_

Arthur finished reading and said nothing. The Will, she had mentioned the Will, but he had dealt with all of that unfinished business. What did she mean? _"Concerning my article of the Will" _was she some sort of Morrow Day? Forgotten and no possible threat? Or was she so powerful and omnipotent that none of the other Trustees had dared tangle with her?

"The Untimely Goddess" Suzy whispered.

"The what?"

"Untimely Goddess" Suzy repeated. "Least that's how most o' the rest of the lower class call her. Rumor has it that she's rather meddlesome and never works in anyone else's favor but her own, sounds a bit like Dame Primus to me"

"I am nothing like that belligerent, faulty, flighty, disobedient, over zealous, opinionated lesser entity of the Architect" unbeknownst to them, Dame Primus had sidled out with teacup still in hand to read over their shoulders.

"Entity of the Architect?" Arthur scratched the top of his head.

"Yes, Mistress Time hic—" She hiccupped and then burped and looked down her nose into her cup. "Brandy, never got along with it very well." She sniffed and then continued. "Mistress Time was one of the first creations by the Architect, she was put in charge of time in the realms and the House, and over those two elements does she have dominance. But Time was still infinite, and idealistic and threatened to rival the Architect in her power. So She gave Time her own realm, known as the Hourglass Manor, where she has resided for millennia. I suspect that the part of the Will she speaks of is one of the latter paragraphs, or somewhere in the introduction. Though Time keeps the hours flowing between the realms as they should and ensures the House time run true, her time of that comes to an end. The contract she was given by the Architect with the Secondary realms, and in similarity to the Morrow Days, she must appoint a rightful heir"

Arthur scrubbed his hands across his face in aggravation. And uttered a few well-chosen words. "So how do we go about seeing her? Is there an elevator we could use?"

Dame Primus shook her head and Arthur heard Suzy scoff behind him. "The Hourglass Manor is no part of the House, it is inaccessible from here."

" How's about the improbable stair majigger" Suzy offered. Again Dame Primus shook her head no.

"It is a place only the Architect knew how to enter, and Time herself of course."

"But I should be able to unlock any knowledge the Architect had" Arthur protested. Confound his obligation and the complexity of the House.

"The Architect was a very jealous creator, she did not take liking to those who rivaled or challenged her in her decisions, or wisdom, the Old One being a prime example of that. She probably hid that information away some place unorthodox,"

"How, unorthodox," Arthur grouched, recalling the times when he had been required to venture into a wordlet to recover a part of the Will. "Is the Will like you?" he spat.

"I wouldn't know" Dame sneered and turned to head back inside.

"I think we're back to square one Artie" Suzy huffed.

Arthur glowered at Dame Primus's retreating back. "It would seem so"

Suzy smiled and then spat in her hand and held it out to him. "For old Times sake" she explained.

Grinning, Arthur took it and shook it vigorously. "Whatever Time's sake is"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight 

Leaf and Artemis got in late that Monday afternoon, she had been let off work early, or was it late? She couldn't be bothered; the timing had been off all day. Her watch didn't work, the clocks at work didn't work, and the solar system even seemed confused. As far as she was concerned, in her own mind it was night time, in spite of the beaming sun outside, and Artemis should be finishing off his pizza dinner and going to bed right now. She trudged up the steps and changed quickly into Arthur's favorite blue flannel, in this way she could pretend he was still there. She settled into bed and shut her eyes tight. In the hall she could hear Artemis coming up, and before he went to bed he called out to her.

"Night Mom"

"Night Artemis" She called weakly. She hadn't even asked him how his day at school had been. Ashamedly, she was rather pleased that she hadn't been forced to talk to him much. He looked and talked and acted too much like his father for her to bear, and she just knew talking to him about anything would only bring tears. She wondered where he was now, at that precise moment, was he fighting off elusive nithlings? Any more encounters with strange beings? If he had been spending a lot of time with Suzy. She had never mentioned it or shown it but Suzy had always been her rival, even if Arthur hadn't seen her for near twenty years, and even more in that weird House Time, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Leaf shook her head and clung to her pillow. What did it matter? He was in another world now, one that neither she nor her son would ever enter. And if he had decided to begin a new life with Suzy, she supposed she couldn't blame him. He had given her the okay to remarry after he left years ago.

"I don't want Artemis to miss me too much. Your life should go on," he had said.

"Then why shouldn't yours, Arthur?" She whispered, burying her face in the sheets, inhaling deeply, and trying to hold onto his scent. The tears came without warning, the same tears she hadn't wanted Artemis to see. Her nostrils filled with the comforting smell of his cologne. Arthur had never liked cologne, but he had bought this specific scent one day and that was why it was so special. Leaf jumped out of the bed and ran to the washroom, moments later she came out holding the bottle, she sprayed herself with it twice and then set it on the night table. Now she had his scent and the comfort of his pajamas. And somehow, even with every essence of him there. Even though she could hear him laughing now, whispering in her ear, even though she could smell him, the scent he used on special occasions or fresh out of the shower, even though she could feel his touch, his arms wrapped around her even now, he wasn't there. And he never would be, again.

Tea Time

"Tea?" Suzy offered.

Arthur refused and read the letter again for what he was sure had to be the millionth time, and thought about what Dame Primus had said about finding Mistress Time.

"Seven dials could work," He ventured.

Suzy snorted. "They look out onto Secondary realms."

"Who's to say the Manor isn't in a Secondary Realm?" he snapped.

Suzy eyed him and continued to pour tea. "I don't think that'll work Artie." She sipped from the cup.

"The Raised Rats!" Arthur exclaimed leaping from behind the table.

"Watch it, watch it!" Suzy scrambled to keep the table from falling over and the teapot and the tea from spilling. Suzy shot him a cursory glance. "Now if you don't wants tea jus' say so, don't need to bust up my tea pot" she said, inspecting the peach colored sort of pot with a handle over the top. It was the best Fashion had been able to do with it, a sort of brewing pot, almost cauldron like really.

"I'm sorry Suzy. But how 'bout them then eh?" Arthur shut his mouth and made a face. _Spend enough time with Suzy and sure enough you'll start to sound like her_ he thought.

"Don't know Arthur, but where will we find them?"

Arthur cursed. "Give me a minute," he thought. "Couldn't I just call them?"

"I'd ask Primey how to find them but you know, she ain't to righted in the head no more"

"Oh she's righted" Arthur growled. "She's just being stubborn about being smaller and people having a chuckle after her and whatnot" Arthur froze again.

_I wonder if I can use the key to fix it so's I stops talking like Suzy_. He gasped. _I'm even thinking like her_. He slapped himself hard across the face, the glove sending a zing of pain through his cheek. _If that didn't snap me out of it, nothing will_. "If I command her, Dame Primus will have to tell me"

"That's what you think. Old Madame don't do a thing that old Madame doesn't want"

Arthur frowned. "Go see if you can get Sneezer," he paused. "Or Doctor Scamandros"

Suzy drained what was left in the cup, nodded and placed her helmet back on. "Will do," She shouted as the chariot pulled off again.

Arthur paced the floors, wondering how much time he had. Just then a shadow appeared over his shoulder.

"Time is very coy" Dame Primus warned.

Arthur over at her, half stifling a giggle, her helmet was askew and her spectacles were half way down her nose. She still looked a bit tipsy in Arthur's opinion. "Do you know what she wants?"

"I know that she has to select a rightful heir. And was a thorn in the Architects side since creation."

"What made Time so bad?" he inquired.

"She wasn't necessarily bad. Just very opinionated. Very, free willed, and she just loved to challenge everything the Architect did."

"But she was around most of the time, before the Architect went away" Arthur ventured.

Dame glanced at him out the corner of her eye. "She was around, in her own way. Time is always around us, she flows through our clocks and our realms, but she was never one to listen to others. Here comes Suzy" Dame Primus observed. "I won't be accompanying you to find her" She told him, with that she nodded solemnly to Suzy and returned to whatever she was doing before.

Suzy came jogging up to Arthur, her armor clanging as she got closer, behind her a portly balding man with a long knit cap and rope struggled to keep up. "Got the Doc" she beamed.

"Doctor Scamandross" Arthur greeted, striding forward to shake the man's hand.

"Lord Arthur, my, I'm parched have you anything to drink?"

"tea" Suzy chirped.

"I'll have a cup of that and then we'll get started."

Arthur threw his arms up in the air. _Delays! I hate Tea Time!_


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter Nine_

After Doctor Scamandross finished his tea he reached into a pocket of his robe and pulled out a rather raggedy and dirty old sack. _Augury Puzzle_, Arthur figured.

Scamandross knelt on the ground and began flinging string like pieces on the dirt watching them shift and bend to fit together. After about ten minutes of this, throughout which Arthur waited very impatiently tapping his foot the doctor backed up and stood, looking down at his map. He scratched his head and then fumbled around a bit more in his robe. Arthur's eyes goggled when the doctor continued to pull out item after item. He had always been fascinated with the amount of objects Scamandross was able to fit into his clothing, no matter the garment. At last Scamandross drew out a ridiculously large magnifying glass and began staring at the ground, a moment later he yelped and waddled forward to retrieve what Arthur mistook for a speck of dirt. Scamandross replaced the magnifying glass and stared intently at the tiny object in his hand, it took a moment for Arthur to realize it was a telescope. Dare he ask?

Arthur cleared his throat. "What's that?" he gestured at the miniscule instrument.

"Micro definition telescope" Scamandross answered, now squinting hard through the telescope and turning almost invisible knobs, he pointed it downwards towards the augury puzzle and Arthur saw the scope elongate like a sort of frail straw right down to the earth. After another few excruciating moments, Suzy muttered.

"Is he ever going to be done with that thing?"

Arthur whispered back, "I doubt anytime soon"

As if in answer, Doctor Scamandross drew back and jammed the telescope back into his robe pocket, shaking his head. "I have grave news, Lord Arthur,"

"Yes?"

"I have all but one tiny, infinitesimal piece to the puzzle, and I can't find it anywhere"

Arthur just knew where this was leading; they were going to have to find the missing piece.

"You might want to contact your colleagues the Raised Rats to help you find the piece"

Suzy sighed. "Should've gone straight to them in the first place,"

Arthur brushed his hair back from his forehead. "Suzy," he whispered.

She regarded the puzzle on the ground, then Scamandross and Arthur, "I know, I know, see if can find the Raised Rats. You know that means I've got to go dress up all lady like, they've been fetched up at the Border Sea forever and I stills got to stick to that stupid promise I made to Dame way back when"

Arthur growled. "You know I might as well go with you. It's not like I won't have to go there afterwards anyway." He started for the chariot but before he got in he looked over at the doctor. "Doctor Scamandross, you might as well come too, you know how to explain the properties of that puzzle better than I do"

"It would be an honor my lord" he said quickly shuffling to get in the chariot. Suzy looked over at them, a grin passing over her face. "If Scamandross comes along, that's extra weight and you don't know how to handle heavier loads Artie." She sneered. "Therefore," she got I the with them and gently shoved Arthur our of the way, taking the reins in her hands she slammed down the front of her helmet and peered over her shoulder though the eye slits. "I'll drive"

There was no time for Arthur to protest, only grip the sides of the chariot as tightly as he could so he wouldn't fall off. It wasn't easy, Doctor Scamandross's impossibly long hat kept whipping him in the face and Arthur was discovering what a reckless driver Suzy was. _Back home she would get a ticket for sure._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten 

In spite of the fact that Arthur was pretty sure he had made it perfectly clear that he needed to get to the Border Sea immediately, he had neglected to remember that Suzy needed to change into lady like garments. _I don't know what it matters. She still looks like a boy in a dress anyway._ Arthur felt a pang of guilt for thinking that. Maybe the reason why he didn't like Suzy's feminine attire was because they reminded him too much of Leaf. He wondered if it what time it was there now, in his own world. He also wondered if Artemis's first day had been normal, or if he had gotten into some strange mess. _I made it clear to Dame Primus that I don't want Artemis involved. _He persisted. _She may be rude at times and might want things her way but she does respect me, on some level._ They landed before a temple in Middle House were Suzy went in to speak with Monday's Noons's old associate. The one that had helped her become an indentured worker long ago. Soon Suzy emerged in her Hera garb, none the more attached to it than she had been the first time she wore it. She always professed it to make her incredibly clumsy and unable to wield anything efficiently. By the way Suzy was catching at the bottom of the gown, she also didn't like the prospect of a strong wind.

Grumpily she got back into the Chariot and headed directly for Port Wednesday were as of late they spent most of their time. They landed and searched for the tavern that the head rat resided. Of course they were looking for a very familiar crew of Raised Rats. Arthur ducked his head as they entered the tavern and stood still for a moment, waiting for his eyes to refocus in the dark space. "Hello?" he called and taking a step forward collided with a table and almost fell over.

"Is anyone in 'ere?" Suzy queried.

"Who wants to know?" a sly voice asked from the darkness.

Arthur straightened up and cleared his throat. "Lord Arthur," he boomed.

"Arthur?" suddenly it was more lively inside and the distinct sent of melting cheese began seeping into his nostrils. A sort of fog suddenly blew up into Arthur's face and he coughed and waved his hands before his face. That voice had almost sounded familiar.

"Wat-wat" he coughed, squinting to see through the smoke. "Watkingle?"

"'Ou, me? Nay I be Chauncey though, Watkingle's first mate and son" the smoke cleared enough for Arthur to glimpse a rather brown rat, with a white splotch round its left eye and a black nose. Behind him a rather scarred looking pink tail flickered.

"Chauncey?"

"Chauncey Watkingle, that's me name, should I call cap'n then?" before Arthur could answer the naval rat spun on his heel and yelled over his shoulder. "Cap'n, Cap'n! You've got a visitor"

"Chauncey, what have I told you about," Watkingle came stumbling out of a back room with a night cap dangling by his chin in a bedraggled toga, with leafs tucked behind his ears_. I suppose this is what Julius Caesar looked like when he slept in_, Arthur mused. Watkingle scratched behind his ears and then reached for a square of cheese sitting on a platter on one of the tables. He nibbled it and sniffed the air around him. He waddled closer, nose still tipped up and nibbling the cheese. He stopped right in front of Arthur, standing on tiptoes to sniff at his hair. One eye winked open skimmed over Arthur quickly. Watkingle then leaned to look over Arthur at Suzy and Scamandross behind him.

"Well I'll be, Lord Arthur is that you?" He chortled and then pulled Arthur in for a hug. "Ahh, and I believe this is your consort, Suzy was it?"

"What, no, Suzy's just a friend" Arthur rambled, flushing red at the same time.

"Remembered me name. Not to say that I'm surprised you Rats can remember everything 'cause you never had to get washed between the ears." Suzy out stretched her hand for the rat to shake.

"And, the Doctor. Hope you won't be troubled if I just call you that will you? I can't very handle saying a name like yours, it was something long, wasn't it?"

"Scamandross" He replied tightlipped, obviously insulted by the rat.

Watkingle finished off his snack and swaggered over to the bar where he retrieved a glass of cranberry juice and gulped it down. He burped and then nodded at Arthur. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to go change into some not so raggedy clothing"

Arthur waved him away. "no problem"

Watkingle turned and went swaggering back to what was presumably his bedroom, his tail switching behind him. Suzy stretched and wandered over to the bar to get a drink "Want one Arthur?"

"Yeah, sure."

"So, what does the lord of the House want with my pop?" Chauncey asked eagerly.

Arthur settled into a chair, "um well, thank you Suzy. Watkingle helped me out a while ago when I was retrieving parts of the Will and…" Arthur trailed off furrowed his brow. He didn't have time to get into this now. "I'll explain another time"

"Alright then so what do you need?" Watkingle came striding back out looking much more awake than he had before, he clapped his hands together and his tail snapped behind him excitedly.

"Scamandross" Arthur summoned the doctor to elaborate on their situation.

"Lord Arthur is in search of the ever elusive dwellings of Mistress Time,"

"Elusive?" Arthur whispered to Suzy. Suzy just stared back at him shrugged and gestured for him to listen carefully.

"The Untimely Goddess? What do you need from her?"

"It's what she needs from me actually" Arthur filled in offering Watkingle the letter he had received from Time.

Watkingle looked it over, Chauncey bouncing up and down, obviously hoping for a little adventure.

"So, 'ere it is, we don't know where Mistress Time's Hourglass Manor is"

"That isn't what we came for" Scamandross corrected, the storms of his tattoos shifting across the plains of his face. "I have means for locating the Manor, only I am lacking a piece to my augury puzzle, we had hopes you might have information on how we could find it."

Chauncey piped up. "Oh! C'mon pop let's work on this one, a real chance for me to get out there, get my paws dirty,"

Watkingle glowered at Chauncey. "What've I told you about calling me pop in front of company?" he whined, evidently feeling robbed of his pride.

"Titles don't matter" Arthur cut in. "Where or who do we need to find to get that missing piece"

Watkingle began stroking his whiskers, in mirroring fashion; Chauncey began to do the same. "Let me bottle one o' my agents and I'll back to you in a moment." He said edging behind the bar to a shelf of bottles he pulled one off and wrote a quick message then shoved it in, corked it and dropped it down a metal tube. "Should be getting' a response soon enough" Watkingle assured. "Simultaneous bottle always goes quickly, even quicker now, but in the mean time" Watkingle pushed the platter of cheese before Arthur. "Cheese anyone?"

Suzy snickered, poking Arthur in the side and then reaching for a piece. Arthur glared at her and then refused the snack. _Teatime! Snack time! What are we, four? I feel like I'm in kindergarten, we'll be_ _taking naps next…_his thought was cut off as he caught Chauncey beginning to nod off in a corner. _Splendid, just bloody splendid._


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven 

There was a clang in the metal tube and Watkingle reached for it, retrieving the bottle he had sent out a mere minute ago. "Got it!" he called happily, pulling on the scroll in the bottle, it was clear to Arthur that Watkingle was having difficulty getting it out and then requested for Suzy to help. "You're a little thing, your hand should fit right in there," he coaxed, guiding Suzy to the bottle.

Arthur shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "What do you mean elusive dwellings, does the Hourglass Manor move?" this seemed to be getting trickier than Arthur had hoped.

Doctor Scamandross produced a handkerchief out of his robe and mopped his brow. "I suppose you do need me to enlighten you on the subject" he glanced quickly over at Watkingle and Suzy, who surprisingly were still having a great deal of trouble with the bottle. "The Hourglass Manor runs with time,"

Arthur regarded him with suspicion. "And?"

"Its eternal, the Mistress is able to decided where and what time period she wants to live in at any point or time. Few have ever had actual access to it"

"It shifts between time periods?"

The doctor wiped his face again and nodded. "For lack of better phrase"

Frustration came to a boil inside Arthur, he was about to explode but someone else asked his question.

"Then what goods the puzzle thingy if the place keeps shufflin' about?" Suzy gave one final yank and removed the message and came over to join them.

"It is said there is a navigational way to always find the Manor, no matter the era. We will attempt to use the puzzle to find this way"

"A weird way" Arthur concluded.

"Yes" Scamandross agreed.

Watkingle had begun reading the scroll and then a gave squeak of excitement. " Maddie's always been a good contact. Last place the piece was seen was somewhere in the Pit some thousand years ago"

Arthur grimaced. "As in, the Far Reaches?"

"Aye that be the one." Watkingle confirmed. "I'll be sending Chauncey along, if you don't mind. Been wanting to get some real work for ages now. Not much training he can get from gossip on the Port."

Arthur opened his mouth but was cut off by Suzy. "Sure, we'd love to have him along." Aside to Arthur she explained. "Rats is almost efficient in any situation, if we runs into any trouble, and I reckon we will, it'd be good to have him"

"Fine" Arthur consented. "Could we take an elevator there though? I'm tired of that chariot"

Watkingle nodded. "I'll beam one up right now."

Only Tuesday 

Leaf rolled over that morning, in the half empty bed and gazed out the window. It was still pitch black, contrary to the clock on the night table that read, seven fifteen am. She got out of bed and took her own sweet time getting dressed for work. As she left her room she rapped absently on Artemis's door and headed downstairs to get breakfast going.

Artemis yawned deeply before pulling on the dreary school uniform. He didn't blame Timina for altering it. She had been a peculiar girl, with attitude, and though Artemis hadn't enjoyed talking to her at all, there was something he found rather fetching about her personality. Or maybe the word was intimidating. She had said something about needing help. "I know you can, and will," she had said before seeming to disappear. Of course Artemis couldn't help but wonder if perhaps this was the sort of weird happening his father had warned him about. He yawned again and hefted his backpack as he marched downstairs where he found his mother, frozen in the actions of pouring milk. "Mom?" he ventured. There was no response. "Mom?" he asked again. No indication whatsoever that she had heard him. Artemis dropped his bag and walked over to Leaf, he tapped her shoulder and then tugged on her hand. Exasperated, he jumped up and rapped her smartly on the head. She seemed to jerk back to life then and began moving rather rapidly. Fast forward. The same thing had happened yesterday with Timina. Leaf was flitting about the kitchen now, seemingly to her son on some sort of autopilot. _Maybe I can skip breakfast. _He figured and slowly backed out of the house. If he started walking now, he would reach school right on time.

Pitfalls.

Arthur coughed raucously upon their arrival. "I hate the Pit," he spluttered.

Suzy blinked her eyes rapidly. "You'd think after the change and all they'd have this smog problem sorted"

"Hasn't been a sunburst down her in awhile" Someone muttered.

They turned to find a short clerk seated behind a desk. She was handing out strom lanterns and stabilized mud capes. "Greetings Lord Arthur" she drawled. "Welcome to the pit"

"Great," Arthur seethed. "How do we go about the piece now?"

Chauncey suddenly got down on all fours and started crawling along the ground, his nose pressed to the ground. He got back to his feet; his nose covered with soot and grinned. "Found something,"

"Let me see," Doctor Scamandross pushed his way through and began pulling out his array of tools, soon enough he had the telescope out again, closing in on whatever Chauncey claimed to have found. "Oh very good work Chauncey"

"What did he find?" Arthur demanded.

"A tracing" the doctor replied coolly.

"Meaning?"

Suzy patted his shoulder. "A tracing is a bit of a Denizen, after they've visited somewhere or the like, sort of like leftovers, but only Denizens leave them, and the most superior of them at that 'cause they gots so much power and all dripping off them."

"So this is from a Denizen, can you tell me who?" asked Arthur.

"No, the tracing isn't fresh enough to divulge that, but I can tell you it came from as Suzy suggested a superior Denizen, even possibly one of the Morrow days."

Arthur shot the doctor a withering glance. "But I took care of the Morrow Days" he reminded them. "Every last one" he added growing very irritated.

Scamandross sniffed, "Well then I wouldn't know"

Chauncey raised one pink paw in the air. "May I say something Lord Arthur?"

"Call me Arthur. What is it?"

"Well Arthur" Chauncey stressed. " Perhaps it was one of the Morrow Days cronies then no? One of the Noons, or Dusks,"

Arthur shouted. "But why would they have it?"

"Why would anyone have anything 'round here?" Suzy challenged. "Why did Feverfew have part of the will? Why did the Mariner have to run? Why did I have the stupid frog when it all happened?"

Scamandross chuckled. "The lady does have a point. It is just one of those things Arthur, you should no that by now" he chided.

"Something's can't be explained" Arthur concluded, then rallied. "But how do we know it has anything to do with the piece?"

"Chief Denizens don't come down here a lot," the same clerk offered. " I 'aven't been down here long, but I know that much. Most of them rather stay up top. Or they go to the pyramid. Since the grotesques there hasn't been anyone here. Less of course it happened before then," the clerk went back to handing out supplies after her last sentence.

"How long can a tracing last?" Arthur queried.

"Ages, eons, it goes a bit staler the older it gets" Scamandross said. "If it were freshly placed, we'd be able to identify it, when it got there, where the tracer was now, and even why they were there."

"What can you tell from it now doc?" Suzy piped up.

The doctor bent down and picked up what appeared to be a very dull piece of metal and examined it closely. "Chief Servant." He noted. "Male," he blinked and looked closer. "Mmm, possible a Dusk" he murmured.

"Fat load of help" Suzy folded her arms.

"It's better than nothing," Arthur affirmed. "There must be some sort of registry down here, to note inspectors or visitors from high up"

"Yeah but no one's seen it in centuries" The clerk answered.

"What's your name?" Arthur asked at last.

" Edith" she replied. "Supply clerk, fourth in precedence"

"That's good enough" Arthur cut in. He began stroking his chin. An idea hit him, though not a very comforting one. "Suzy you don't suppose,"

"That register we busted up?"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve 

"Surprised these things still fit properly" Suzy muttered as she hauled a star hood over her head.

"Me too," Arthur grumbled as he jammed arm after arm into the sleeves of his bright coat.

Presently they were in a wordlet, the one Arthur had visited with the Mariner to find part tow of the Will. With the keys Arthur had been able to reenact the spell Tom had used to enter. At the moment, the four of them were dressing in bright coats, star hoods, and immaterial boots to protect them from the heat of this strange island. Chauncey was having a pinch of trouble as he tried to tuck his tail away under the hem of the coat.

"But Arthur, we brought the register over here to destroy it, what're the odds of it still being here?"

"That information is lost" Scamandross replied as he pulled on his star hood.

Arthur glared at the doctor. He marched over and yanked the hood off his round head. "If it's lost then it's not here!" he as much as shrieked. "Why didn't you say anything before?"

Doctor Scamandross spluttered an incoherent answer and then Arthur growled.

"We've got to go back to the Border Sea now, thank you very much" He whirled on Suzy.

"What did I do?" she asked, hesitating to pull off the garments as she was sure Arthur could steam her now with his glare alone.

"You, should've mentioned that before"

"Now see here Artie, I've been through the most of bad parts with you and I sure as heck ain't going to let you blame me. You're the Master whatever, you should've thought o' that yourself"

Arthur's face fell as he realized Suzy was right. "Alright, alright" he grasped the trident that was hanging in his belt.

"You aren't going to," Scamandross began.

Arthur swept the trident through the air and then struck the ground. "Why wouldn't I?" he inquired, right before a great wave of water crashed into him.

"Because!" the Doctor gasped. "The Sea is only to touch where it has touched before! You're about to wash out the Far Reaches!" he gurgled as he got submerged in the water.

"Everyone try to hold your breath and swim" Arthur managed, feeling himself become heavy with the weight. "Chauncey! Chauncey!" he'd forgotten whether or not rats could swim.

There was no reply. _Oh no, I've killed a Raised Rat, _he fretted. He flung out his arms awkwardly, attempting to swim in the increasingly strong waves. Somewhere above the splashing of water he could have sworn he heard someone swear and then cry out his name. More likely than no it had been Suzy. She hated being wet. Something knocked into him and he recognized Doctor Scamandross who seemingly was knocked out, or dead. Arthur took him under one arm and tried as best he could to swim with the extra weight. _The Denizens_, he thought frantically, _what about the Denizens? And there's Nothing below here,_ _the Border Sea can't merge with Nothing or it will spread_. Fresh horror washed over him. _Into the_ _Secondary Realms! I haven't been here long and already I've doomed the universe. _Was his last conscious thought.

Second day of School 

To his surprise and dismay there was Timina on the front steps, sitting, waiting, for him. She looked up as she saw him approach, a rather sneaky smile creeping across her face. "Hello,"

"Your early" Artemis commented.

"It's hard to figure out what time it is anymore." She said standing up and brushing off her trousers. "But I guess you would know"

Artemis rolled his eyes. "What do you want?" he snapped.

Timina opened her mouth to speak but then froze, pausing as if to listen to a new sound. He heard it too. The crackle of thunder. "No rain in the forecast today" he observed.

"I don't think that is rain" She replied, looking off into the distance.

The sound grew louder, as though growing nearer, a thundering rolling sound that echoed around them. Water. The sound was water, now sweeping down the streets towards them. "What the-" Artemis started as the waves grew larger.

"Look out" Timina called as the tumultuous waters surrounded them.

"What?"

Before Artemis could even begin to wonder what was going on. Timina was at his side, locking one arm solidly around him and swimming hard against the tide that had set course to the other side of town. Artemis was half thankful that Timina had grabbed him because he couldn't breathe; he had a touch of asthma that acted up terribly when he was put under great stress. This would count as great stress.

"Where'd the water come from?" he yelled between gulps of water.

"Border Sea" She shouted back, still fighting against the waves.

"Where?" he got a mouthful of water and choked on it. They were being thrashed about in this ocean, and worst of all was no one seemed to notice that the town had become flooded. Timina held on tight all the while trying to soothe him. Out of nowhere, she plucked a bugle out and blew into it, intoning some strange language as she did so. The water was still coming; now a raging storm that threatened to drown them both. "Timina!" he called.

She was slapped hard in the face and Artemis cried out in terror as he watched her skin wash away. Features and all, mouth and eyes, and nose all go sluicing off of her body. Artemis closed his eyes, afraid to gaze upon nothing more than raw flesh or a mere skull. For a split second they opened and he could see yet more of her slipping away, the skin on her arms whizzing by and swirling as if going down some invisible drain. Artemis hadn't realized he had been screaming the whole time and thrashing wildly.

"Artemis" a new voice said. It was richly toned and very clear. He felt a hand underneath his chin and he felt inclined to look up. A woman gazed down at him; she had curling sprigs of dark brown hair, shot through with streaks of gold and white. Her eyes bored into him, they were a deep brown, the sort of eyes any being could gaze into forever. Her skin shone gold, glowing in the midst of the gloom. Artemis was half aware of the fact that she looked like some sort of African Goddess, her brown skin etched with designs. The other half was aware that they were still in the storm. She extended her hand to the sky and vapor came streaming down, forming a cloud as it approached. Her grip on him tightened as she turned her face towards the sky. A pair of clock hands appeared hanging in the air. She held out her hand to it again and the hands began moving rapidly around, emitting a strange sort of zinging sound. Like something being wound up. A clock.

"Time is of my Essence" she murmured softly.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen 

Artemis came to in a glowing room. The wall blazed in white and in the middle of this room was a series of sundials, all set up in an immense circle. Currently, his rescuer stood in the middle of the circle, her arms extended at strange angles, moving rather jerkily. Every so often wind would rush from her fingertips and he would hear a ticking sound. In between there were shots of lightening that made a sort of metallic ping sound as they zoomed towards each dial. Artemis rubbed his head and got shakily to his feet. Instantly the woman spun around with a crash and clapped her hands together.

"Who, who"

"You know me, dear child." The woman approached him, a sort of mesmerizing smile creeping across her face.

"No, I don't. Where are we? What happened to Timina—"he was cut off by the lady's laughter.

"That was me" She replied.

Artemis clenched his fists and gazed up at the intimidating woman. "Who are you?"

"I am the Operator and Keeper of the clocks, the reason why Time in the House runs true. Young mortal, I am Mistress Time"

"Come again?"

Time looked down at her nose at him and smirked. Now when he looked at her, it was very possible to believe that Timina was Mistress Time. "This will take some explaining. But we have all the time in the world." She moved off to stand in the ring of clocks again as a racket of bells tolling shook the ground. "Tea time" a cloud rose up from the ground and glided over to Artemis. "One lump of sugar or two?"

Artemis began to stutter "I-I-I—"

Time laughed merrily. "I'll leave you some time to think on that." Her eyes narrowed. "Quiet" she advised. "I have a matter to put on hold"

Wipe out 

"You will owe me a favor for doing this" came a haughty announcement.

Arthur ceased his flailing to spin his head around, looking for the speaker. "Wednesday's Dawn?"

"Yes," she sniffed, evidently disgruntled and strained. She was holding Chauncey in her arms. "I do not often touch vermin," she pointed out.

"Thank you" Arthur nodded his head and then thought on Scamandross, he was still unconscious. "What's happened?"

"Other than almost flooding the House, this moment has been procured"

He hated the way the superior Denizens thought it necessary to make explanations lengthy. "Translation of that please" he commanded.

"Time here has been paused. I would assume to stem flow of this self-rot ocean that impinges upon Nothing. That is a matter that will need to be taken care of, now," she informed him, glancing disgustedly down at the rat she was still cradling in her arms.

"How long will it last?"

"Approximately—" Dawn looked down with distaste and leaned back as Chauncey spluttered awake, coughing up in her face. She cringed and then set Chauncey down in the now still waters. "Approximately an hour, as House time goes. Now if you'll excuse me," She folded her wings and prepared to plunge deep into the waters when Arthur called out.

"What about Suzy?"

"The Piper's child?" Dawn frowned. "She's probably been washed back into the Secondary Realms, if it was regular water, she could be found in the Border Sea, but I am sure that storm connected with the realms, and she has been swept up. Good day, Lord Arthur" she quipped and dived down into the water, taking on her sickening shark shape as she sped away. Arthur gaped as she disappeared out of view, his mind racing. _The sea got outside the House, to Artemis and Leaf! And Suzy got washed away!_ No matter whether Arthur lived an eternity or not, that wouldn't be enough time for him to forgive himself for loosing Suzy.

"What now Arthur?" Chauncey chirped.

_What now? What now? We quit that's what; I can't do this without Suzy!_ Arthur fumbled for words.

"We were on course to the Border Sea before it was brought to us" Doctor Scamandross groaned as he started to wake up. "We should continue our search for the piece so that you may converse with Mistress Time"

Arthur nodded, his head buzzing. "I have to deal with this ocean first, before it washes outside" He thought aloud. He patted himself, wondering exactly which key he should be using for something like this.

"Use the trident" Scamandross offered. "That which created it is what will vanquish" he explained, still exhausted.

Arthur complied and used the trident in a reverse motion, striking ground first and then sweeping up. As though attached the water pulled away and drew up into the air after the points of the key until all was dry. "We've got to keep looking for information, so we should go to the Sea and try to find any lost info fro the register."

"Sounds good to me" Chauncey agreed. "But, why don't we use the bottle? Could get to Cap'n twice as fast,"

"Is there a sending tube down here?" Arthur inquired.

"I sure could fins us one" he grinned.

Washed Up

Somewhere in a distant land the last wave lapped on the shore. Actually, pavement, and she struggled to her feet as she came to. She wrung out her clothes and then her hair. She didn't know where she was, but she was sure she wasn't in the House anymore. _Where's Arthur?_ Her eyes skittered around, desperately trying to recognize this foreign land to put her mind at ease. _Ain't been outside the House in ages. _ And now she had no idea where she was.

"Hello, are you alright?" A man was coming at her, his hand extended.

Suzy looked up at him, her fear and discomfort shining in her eyes.

A strange look ran across the man's face and his eyes widened. "how'd you get here, did you come from," He gazed down at her water soaked clothes. "The ocean?"

Suzy began to speak was shocked when she learned she had no voice.

"You're a," excitement was clear in his voice. "A mermaid,"

She began to shake her head furiously no, but the man continued to ramble. "They didn't believe me back in town, said I was crazy to even dare dream about them, but here you are, a mermaid" before Suzy could even begin to put up a fight she was swept up into the man's arms. "Well you have legs and that's fortunate, but still you might be wobbly on them so I'll help you inside"

Suzy was furious and nauseas as the man marched her away. _Voice must've gotten washed out. Arthur better find me._


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen 

Arthur, Chauncey and the Doctor were now fumbling in the Great Maze, utterly lost and dumbfounded. The message Chauncey had sent back to Port had replied that no record had been found in the Border Sea, though a remnant, similar to the tracing they found had last been seen there, in this confounded labyrinth. Chauncey shuffled along five paces in front of Arthur and Doctor Scamandross, his nose pressed into the dirt and his tail wagging in the air as he sniffed. Arthur felt as though they had been walking for hours, and was very likely that they had, which brought as much comfort to Arthur as this whole expedition. It seemed like an awful lot of trouble to find this Mistress, and for what, an epic battle? A polite conversation? He had no idea what to expect and the more time it took the more he began to question if it was worth it. Scamandross came to an abrupt halt in front of him and Arthur stumbled into his back. "What is it?" he huffed.

Chauncey spun his head around. "Found it Arthur"

"Pick it up," he instructed.

The doctor bent down and retrieved it and then began to scrutinize it. "This can't be," he whispered. He pinched the other bit they had found in the Far Reaches and examined the two of them. "oh no, no," he clucked, looking from one to the other. "This simply cannot be"

"What?" Arthur blasted, his voice causing a few bits of greenery to jitter off the Maze walls.

Scamandross had yet to answer, in stead he was biting each bit gently between his teeth, the way one might bite a piece of gold to check if it were real. A pained expression crossed his face and his brows knit together.

"What is it?" he whined, Arthur was never one who handled suspense very well.

The doctor ticked his eye up at Arthur and then shoved the pieces at him. Arthur took each one in either hand and squinted his eyes to peer at them. "What am I looking for?"

The doctor mopped his brow the way he often did when made nervous and stammered a reply. "It-it's the- the –the pieces, Arthur, they, they don't match, see, see one's darker than the other, the-the- one from the Pit is black, and the other has a-a- t-t-tint of g-g-gold on it"

Arthur leaned back and then leaned back in. Out of a pocket in his robe he plucked out a pair of spectacles that Dame Primus had given him for reading. Close up, Arthur could see a slight different between the two. "So it's a different person, what's the big deal?"

Scamandross hung his head. "It's the same tracing Arthur,"

"Okay" Arthur started, attempting to keep the calm in his voice. "So one got a bit dirty or polished or something," he trailed off.

"No Arthur, they have the same basic properties but somewhere along the line, there's a transition. As though this person changed."

"Into what?"

"That, I cannot read"

Hourglass Manor 

Artemis had gratefully accepted the tea though he sat in bewilderment as he watched Time wind and fine tune clock after clock hanging on her wall. For the past while she had been explaining why she had brought him there and her current dilemma, from what Artemis could gather, she needed to fix some huge clock that ruled over what she called Secondary Realms, or needed to find somebody who could fix it.

"I was given rule over both worlds in the aspects of time, but the Architect set a contract with the hours of the realms, at an appointed time I am to select an heir to watch over time in your world. I think you would be perfect"

"Why me?"

Time stopped tampering with a grandfather clock on the opposite of the room and glided over. "They must be either mortal or Denizen of superiority. No Denizen has proven apt for this task. And I see something special in you"

Artemis still wasn't swallowing what this woman was telling him. He was in someplace called the Hourglass Manor, on the Eternal Planes and Infinite Reservoir and this woman who claimed to have control over time in the whole universe needed him to help her take half of the load.

"You still haven't answered my question" He retorted. He had at first been intimidated by Time, but now he was reminded that this same woman was the girl he had been snapping at for the past day and the fear was very quickly dispersing.

Time giggled, a sound like wind chimes and then answered. " You are very clear headed, observant and organized, you are not easily troubled, nor quarrelsome. The Heir must be all of those qualities, and honest as you are. I have been watching you since the day you were born, Artemis; I was there throughout all of your years, watching you. From birth it can be discerned what sort of child one will be with time. I of course am able to see beyond that, and I see you, here, in the Manor, conducting hours and minutes and years and millennia, over the realm you came from."

"I'm a boy," Artemis stated in disbelief. He was only twelve; it seemed a lot of responsibility for a preteen.

"Age is immaterial, if that is what concerns you" Time moved towards him, her eyes beginning to glow. She produced an hourglass and held it in her hands, one palm on the top, the other on the bottom. Across the top his name was written on it, all the sand was settled at the bottom. "Will you, help me, Artemis?"

"What if I change my mind?" he asked.

Time replied. "I will let you go, but you must find a replacement if you wish to do so, otherwise I shall do as my sister before me, and chain you to the clock avec the Old One in the Coal Cellar"

"I want to go home and think," he said stubbornly.

"Very well" Time agreed, the hourglass vanishing. "I must receive permission at any rate. In the mean time, return to your home, Artemis" the pair of clock hands floated in the air again, extending one delicate finger she began winding the hour hand around and the room began to spin.

Artemis staggered as his stomach churned. "What-what's happening?"

"I'll see you again soon, Artemis" the voice called to him but all Artemis could hear was ticking and clockwork, chimes and gongs ricocheting off each other and clamoring in his ears. Above it all in the distance there was a soft song being sung and besides that a tinkling laughter.

Return 

He was spit out on the other side, sprawled on the street, right in front of his house. He rubbed his head and told himself it had been some sort of weird dream, but as he stood up he turned to see the clocks hands still winding and gradually slowing down before fading away. He didn't care what time it was, or what day, what he wanted was to get inside before anything else strange could happen to him. Down the street his uncle Ed pulled into his driveway. _He's back early_ Artemis thought. Ed often went on vacations to some medieval town at least once a month, he usually didn't come back until Friday.

"Hi Uncle Ed!" He called as he marched up his front steps.

Ed's head shot up, evidently caught off guard. "Hello Artemis" He grinned as he bobbed his head and quickly skipped around to the passenger's side of the car.

Artemis wondered whom Ed had brought home with him.

Ed opened the door and helped a strangely dressed woman out of the car, sweeping her up in his arms like a baby.

_Medieval gypsy or witch I suppose_ Artemis thought before closing the door behind him. He would question it in the morning. Whenever that would be.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

She thrashed about wildly and squirmed as she was marched into a room and thrown into a tub, her drying clothes instantly soaking once more. The man still stared at her bewildered. He paused for a moment as if in thought and then dashed back out of the room. Seconds later he returned with a saltshaker and began shaking it vigorously around Suzy. "It's not the sea," he said. "But it's almost just as good". Suzy splashed furiously, desperately trying to convey that she did not like water, or being seasoned for that matter. The man stood back and stared at her again. "Beautiful," he murmured, stepping out of the room once more to grab a square object he focused it on Suzy and pressed a button. He took a minute fiddling around and then sighed. "Just beautiful" He knelt next to the tub and presented the object to her, there was a square on the back of it, and in the square was her image. Genuinely shocked Suzy reeled back at looked up at him in wonder. "It's an old camera," he explained. "But it works just fine" he gazed at the picture a bit longer and then restored to where he had taken it from. "You're in good hands" he assured, drifting his hand lightly in the water. Suzy swatted at him, but he only laughed. "I'll leave you in peace" with that he rose to his feet and left Suzy in the salt-water tub to be at peace.

Morning Glory

For once that week Artemis arose to a normal sky. It was Wednesday, morning, he assured as he looked over at his digital alarm clock. He started getting ready for school, briefly contemplating his encounter with the strange Goddess of Time. He wasn't sure if he wanted to become Time Master, or whatever, and he still couldn't begin to fathom why she had chosen him. He skipped breakfast and didn't bother to tell Leaf when he was leaving as he locked the front door behind him. He glanced across the street to find the House still there, a fact he had managed to dismiss over the past two days. He wondered if he walked towards the front door, if he would disappear too, and maybe join his father. Artemis shook his head. With his luck he would most likely be spat out into some place completely far out and nowhere near Arthur.

He looked next door and decided that he wanted to pay his Uncle Ed a visit. Ed had been out of town for a bit true, but surely, he had noticed that things were strange, and surely, he would have some idea of what was going on too. He rapped on the door and waited for an answer. He heard Ed trampling over the numerous objects always strewn across the floor before grasping the handle and opened. "Hey Artemis," he smiled. His hair was all sorts of unkempt, as though he hadn't slept last night, and he had bags under his eyes. Somehow through it all though, he managed to look rather cheery, bright eyed and bushy-tailed.

"You're back early" Artemis commented. " I didn't think you'd be back till Friday"

Ed shrugged, and then chuckled. "I found something," he said. "Something you won't believe, something incredible. Follow me"

Suzy folded her arms and waited for the door to the room to open again. Her clothing was much too water logged for her to get out of the tub herself, she hoped that when the man came back, he would help her out. The door did open again, but to her dismay a boy accompanied the man. One that looked strikingly a lot like Arthur. She wondered if his younger self had gotten left behind here. No, that wasn't impossible; this had to be Arthur's son, which would mean she was on earth, in Arthur's hometown. That brought her some relief but it quickly dispersed as the man with the boy was gesturing and smiling. The boy ventured over warily. _S'alright , I'm a friend of Arthur's_ she wanted to say, but couldn't, so she tried to make her eyes speak for her.

"I don't think it's a mermaid," the boy said at last.

"What else then? I found her on the street, all soaked." Ed replied.

"There was a storm yesterday" the boy continued, his eyes still fixated on her. As though he was trying to read something there. "Huge flood," he went on, "I even got swept up, good couple of blocks right back home"

Suzy winked. She knew that the boy was lying, she could sense it in the surety of his voice, a liar had to be precise and must believe it themselves, their voice sounding confident. The boy caught the wink and gave a weak smile, none of which Ed caught as he kept his back turned.

_What is your name?_ Suzy thought, hoping against all hope he could read minds.

"Really, I didn't know, but come on Artemis, she doesn't even speak English"

Artemis nodded at the mention of his name and Suzy blinked to show that she understood.

"Maybe she's deaf," Artemis said.

Suzy shook her head.

"Or, sick?" he ventured.

Suzy winked slowly, imperceptibly, reaching up to tap her throat.

"Perhaps, she's lost her voice?"

Suzy splashed to show her agreement.

Ed paused, pondering the possibility. "I never thought of that. But these clothes, they look so,"

"Greek" Artemis cut off. "And strange" he added, noticing the large brightcoat hanging off her shoulders. "But, she almost, almost" he stressed. "Looks like Hera"

"Who?"

Silently Suzy asked the same question.

"The Greek goddess, Zeus's consort…" his voice trailed off. He half recalled a time when Leaf and Arthur had been telling him of their first year of marriage.

"We went as Greek Gods, Arthur Zeus, and I was Hera" Leaf had said.

"What is it?" Ed asked impatiently, evidently deflated having realized he hadn't found a mermaid.

"Nothing" Artemis shook his head. Suzy looked at him quizzically. Artemis waved his hand as a sign to forget what had happened. She still looked at him strange but nodded. "She isn't a mermaid," Artemis confirmed. "But, I think, I know,"

_Where I came from,_ Suzy thought.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Arthur grew weary of following tracings and had by now decided that this Mistress Time was an over inflated myth, fluffed up by superstitious, gullible, stupid, (he wasn't in a very good mood) Denizens. Scamandross still scoured the floors of every place they ventured and thus far had found nothing but purely gold tracings, no more the black ones they had started out with. They were in the Atrium now, repugnant Chauncey with his nose pressed to the floor, tail wagging, _like some sort of deformed dog_ Arthur thought bitterly. They'd been on this wild goose chase for weeks now and he tired of it. _Come and get me, Mistress_, he taunted. "Come and get me, we shall duel, or whatever and I shall vanquish you or be vanquished and we can both go on with our eternities" he grumbled.

There was an abrupt halt in their progression as there always was when Chauncey's sniffer had picked up on something, a tracing. Surprise surprise. "What now," Arthur wasn't really asking. He knew what the answer would be.

"It's recent," The doctor replied. "Very, recent. Like just moments ago."

Arthur's ears pricked up. "Can you figure out who it is?"

"It's begun to turn black around the edges, like reverting,"

Arthur's enthusiasm evaporated. Another hitch, another feckless moment in this impossible search.

"I think I know where they are now,"

"Go on," Arthur instructed, none the more intrigued than he had been the last time.

"Your Mansion my lord," Scamandross sneered as he new very well this would shock Arthur into new realms.

"M-m-m—my mansion, in u-u-Upper House?"

"Is there another then?" Chauncey piped.

"Oh shh you rodent" Arthur snapped. He would spend the next little while apologizing for that one when this was all over.

"The very same, Upper House"

Up Starts.

"He should be back soon," Dame Primus assured as she beat her wings to heft the teapot and pour for their guest. The gates banged open with a metal clang and Dame sighed. "He's back. He'll be glad to finally meet with Time. I'd say it's about _time _we get this over with" She chortled at her own pun. "Your wings are looking a bit tarnished, you don't suppose"

"That Time's lack of control is changing me even? I think so, I feel some of my old gloom beginning to settle in," he stuck out his tongue, "Look, it's even beginning to go black on me"

"And your brother," Dame ventured.

"A tint of gold here and there in the feathers, his tone is brightening, we have to get this sorted out right now"

Arthur came bursting through the doors then, stopped in his tracks at the sight of the tea party gathered in his home. " You, we've been tracing you?"

"If it's of any consolation, I didn't know, at any rate, we should get going" Noon rose to his feet and his wings beat slightly. Black was merging with the gold of his feathers, the whisper that he had as Dusk struggling against his more open voice"

"The tracings changed because you changed" Arthur pieced together. "Any now they're changing back because,"

"Time is running out"

"How do you know how to get there?" Arthur demanded. He was insulted that a chief servant had information that he did not.

"I once knew the Mistress myself, she was locked away and I saw her no more. When the Architect left I forgot the way. Now that her presence is being made known, I can find her again. A heart never truly forgets the way. My how time flies" he whispered and pointed into the air his pocket watch flew up and began ticking, then it popped open, the gears inside exposed. "Sometimes the way to go forward, is backwards" Noon stuck his finger into the watch and began winding and messing with the gears. "Time _is_ my essence," he chanted. "As she always has been"

The next moment they were gone, doctor Rat and all. Dame sat alone sipping her tea. She always got left behind.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Suzy had been removed from the tub into a spare bedroom where she was handed a towel and offered a cup of tea. The peculiar man that she now knew as Ed still gaped at her in astonishment. An exercise she hoped he would tire of, she'd never had anyone leer at her the way he did, except for perhaps Arthur at his welcome back ball, when she had been wearing that dress. But even then there was never anything as intense or unnerving in that gaze as there was in Ed's. Artemis was still conversing with Ed, desperately trying to think of a logical way to explain her origins. Of course there was none. All the boy could say was that she came from another world, and that only made Ed's little head spin.

"Another country? Outer space? Is there more of her kind?"

_My kind!_ She thought, flabbergasted. _You'd think I was a species._

"I don't know," Artemis replied truthfully, and then he turned to her and repeated the question.

Suzy shrugged in response a gesture she'd found very useful in the last few minutes.

"All I know is, well I don't suppose mom's told you"

Ed frowned. "Told me what sport,"

Artemis folded his arms crossly. "Don't call me that"

"Artie then" Ed decided.

Suzy giggled to see how much the new nickname irked Artemis the way it did his father.

"What hasn't Leaf told me?"

"You should go over and talk to her now," Artemis said simply. "She'd be the better one to explain"

Noon, Dusk, Noon,

They found themselves in a circular room, a great expanse of white marble flooring. The walls were lined with shelves that curved down from the sky-high ceiling to their feet. Each shelve bearing thousands, upon thousands of our glasses, some turned over so the sand ran down to the bottom, some remained settled, and others periodically turned themselves over. "What in blazes" Arthur began.

"The time life" Noon explained.

"Pardon me?" Scamandross inquired.

Noon sighed. "Each hourglass represents a life, within the House and outside of it. The sand is their aging; they turn themselves when the time is right to continue advancing in years. The ones that simply rest are mostly of children, not meant to mature just yet. The ones turning themselves are of the adolescent or preteen, growing into young men and women. The ones that have been manually turned by Time herself are of the elderly, for when their time runs out."

"This woman is in control of how long my life lasts?"

Noon shook his head in refusal. "Au contraire. The hourglass may only be moved at a time suitable, your clock is not to be turned again until you are old or supremely weakened."

Chauncey sniffled from behind them. "What happens if one of them glasses fall?"

"The life ends, the years of sand swirl into wind and return to the void" Noon informed them. As he finished saying this one of the hourglasses shattered, the shards falling to the floor and the sand beginning to swirl. "That also happens when a life naturally ends"

The whole group gulped.

"Is it time already?" an unfamiliar voice rushed into the room.

Arthur cursed and then shouted. "Who goes there?"

"I'll ask the questions" the voice snapped shrilly. A woman followed the voice, radiant and ageless, though surely by history she should be old and gray.

"Time" Noon whispered and then knelt before her with his head bowed.

She looked down at him and a corner of her mouth quirked up in approval. "Lord Arthur," she addressed him. "At long last, you have arrived."

"What is it you want?"

"Permission to select an heir from your realms"

Noon's head shot up at this. "An heir? From the realms?" Arthur couldn't help but feel as though there was a hint of sadness in Noon's voice. "Time, surely, this must be some mistake,"  
The glow of Time's radiance flashed out to look down at the Denizen at her feet. "Dusk? Truly, time does fly," she murmured before extending a hand down to brush his cheek. The pallor beginning to resettle on Noon's face instantly pulsed with eternal glow. "You are a Noon now,"

"My term ends, as Time runs out of hand, my old self resumes it's place"

Time's expression softened. "you object to a human heir" she stated.

"Must this be discussed now?" he pleaded.

Time pursed her lips. "Go, to my chambers, you know the way" she instructed.

It was only a second before a flash of light consumed Noon and he was gone. Time sashayed towards Arthur. "As I was saying, an heir"

"Do whatever you want just leave me out of it" Arthur snapped. He was tired, spent, he wanted to go back to the manor with irritable Dame Primus and Suzy and…SUZY! "Time, I lost a friend of mine back in the flood"

"In the coal cellar," Time drawled disgustedly.

"Yes…how did you know?"

"It leaked into the secondary realms while I was recruiting my heir, I had to bring him here to recuperate. He's gone back home now."

Arthur shook his head. "Yes well, I lost her in the flood. How can I find her?"

"She most likely was swept into your world. Would you have me locate her too?"

"If you could."

Time grumbled before extending her hands. "Time moves forwards but back as well take me to when there was a knell, of warning from a treacherous sea, near drowned and submerged many be and to the survivor of such storm who would in any case seem out of the norm" a sphere of light formed in her hands and she whipped it at the gigantic dial. The face of it dissolved to reveal a glass that began to reflect numerous images. Time stood before it, staring intently. "Was she covered in a garb of strange garments? A robe and multicolored coat?"

"Yes!" Arthur clung to Time's arm desperately. "Please where is she?" He wanted to get Suzy back home, where she belonged with him. Arthur shook his head. He hadn't just thought that. No. He wanted Suzy back at the House, because she made it interesting. Not because he, wanted her. "Tell me where she is," he pleaded still.

"With a man,"

"A man!" Arthur shrieked alarmed.

"Of kin to you I believe, Ed, is it?"

"Oh my gosh! She's back home! But I can't go there."

"Mayhap the improbable stair can assist you" Time suggested.

Scamandross and Chauncey shuffled uncomfortably behind him. Neither had ever been on the stair, only heard fantastic wives tales about it leading one to off kilter lands. "I would vouch to stay here," the Doctor volunteered. Time spun on him then

"I fear you cannot, I have business I need conduct here and you will throw off my concentration"

"As though time wasn't off anyway" Chauncey snorted and then laughed, the doctor promptly joining in.

"Out" Time ordered.

"We don't know how to go back." Chauncey squeaked.

Time sighed, exasperated by their hopelessness "I'll hire a cloud for you, when Arthur needs you he can call. Right Arthur?"

"Uh, mmm, yes yes whatever you say." Arthur rambled out an answer. He was too busy trying to visualize the array of clocks as a stair to leap onto.

"And my heir?" Time asked sweetly.

"Do what you will! Choose whomever you see fit as an heir!" he shouted before landing his right foot solidly on the bottom of a grandfather clock and sailing up into a blinding flash.

"As for you!" Time snapped and a cloud came whizzing in, she efficiently dumped both Chauncey and the doctor on the cloud that whimpered with the impact and gave it a smack to go on its way. "Just take them far away" she called after her it. "Far, far, away"

Reunion.

Noon positioned himself comfortably on a lounge chair as he took in his surroundings; everything was just as the last time he had been there. Just as elegant, as immaculate, as comforting, as full of the essence of the goddess he had left so long ago.

"I see you have made yourself at home" Time whispered as she materialized in the air before him.

"It's hard not to, every bit of this place reeks with you. You've always made me at home."

Time muffled a giggle. "Forgive me but I have a hard time accepting this change, how did you become Noon?"

"A story too long to tell" Noon smiled.

"I've time" she mused.

"But I don't" Noon's cheer dissipated. "In fact too much of that has passed since I last saw you"

"Indeed. I gather you do not approve a human heir"

"I feel there are others more fitting. Who else to be Father Time, if not Time's old consort"

A firey blush rushed across Time's face. Her expression was most sincere as she said. "The son of our Master, Lord Arthur"

Noon choked. "Arthur's son? Does he know?"

"He permitted me to choose who I will."

Noon leaned in close and hissed. "You know full well Lord Arthur will be angry, Dame Primus besides"

"Piffle on Dame" Time dismissed this with a wave of her hand. "Doubtless she already had plans for the boys at any rate"

"The boy does not deserve this," Noon whispered hotly. "Arthur doesn't, his wife doesn't."

"Did I deserve to be thrown away like discarded trash by our Architect? To be bound by a contract that began this whole mess?" she spat.

Noon pulled back and regarded her closely. "Did I, Mistress Time, deserve to have my love put on hold?"

Time bit her bottom lip. "I have missed you, be assured of that."

Noon exhaled and rubbed his head. "What will I tell the others when I get back, they will be curious of our conversation"

Time's eyes shone as she lunged at him and her lips met his. "Tell them how time flies" she breathed.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Leaf peered at herself in the salon mirror, wrinkling her nose. The cut was flattering enough, a sort of bob, but the dark streaks would take time getting used to. She looked up at the hairdresser and smiled faintly, paid and left. She got in the car and started her engine, it sputtered and then stalled. Leaf cursed, banging her fist on the car horn and hopped out. Angry already she marched to the front and popped the hood. A plume of smoke puffed up in her face, coughing, Leaf waved away the smoke to see what was wrong, or attempt to anyway. She reached for a wire but the car puffed at her again, she fumbled in her jacket pocket for her cell phone to call CAA, then she called Artemis to let him know she'd be home late. Grumpy, Leaf sat down on the curb next to her smoking car, looking up at the mocking evening sun in the sky.

At Ed's Suzy was gazing at the ceiling waiting for it to open up and to be rescued. Preferably by Arthur. Artemis sat opposite her, quiet as a mouse. Presently they were both waiting for Ed to come back form next door after he had spoken to his sister. Little did they know they would wait awhile. _If only I could talk._ Suzy thought irritated. Artemis cocked his head to the side and then his eyebrows shot up. Suzy didn't like the look in his eyes, he was beginning to appear very reminiscent of Ed, that sort of wild frantic gleam.

"Why didn't I think of it before!" he smacked his hand to his forehead. "You speak English, you can write can't you?"

Suzy grimaced. Dame had always been kind enough to tell her how deplorable her penmanship was. But what did she have to loose? If this was her only chance to communicate and get some sort of help, so be it. She nodded slightly and was instantly handed pen and paper.

"if you can, write about how you got here, what happened right before then?"

Suzy sighed and then concentrated on forming legible letters.

Time

Time glided across the floor, back and forth, enough to make Noon go cross-eyed. "I really cannot allow you to draft Arthur's son," he said absently.

Time whirled on him, fire dancing in her eyes. "What did you say?"

"His closest friend in the house, and Chief servant, I cannot permit it. I am to act in his best interests"

"His best interests should be to please me" Time retorted haughtily, "unless of course he likes having irregular sky, it will affect his home, the time will begin affecting seasons, years, people will begin to age faster, die faster. His wife, his remaining family will perish faster then House time if I am not granted an heir"

"He is still a young boy. Arthur sure enough was game for this sort of challenge at that age but his son could be a different matter still. Lord Arthur has made it quite clear he does not want his son involved with House business"

Time lunged at Noon and grabbed him by his collar. "Don't you see anything?" she spat. "Am I to trust another mortal? One not chosen or even sharing blood with one who was? A chief servant who'll undoubtedly allow power to swell their heads?"

Noon's cheeks burned red. "_I_ am a chief servant Time." He reminded.

Time yawned. "if it is age that concerns everyone so about the boy, that can be fixed." She swept her arm through the air and they were transported to the Time Life. Time glided over to the shelves and skimmed them for a minute before plucking Artemis's hourglass off the shelf. "That can be changed right now," she sneered. "All I need do is turn it over like so"

"Time, no, you can't do this!"

Time began to laugh. "I can and will, Lord Arthur said as much before he left. 'Do what you will' I think it was, and this is my will" and with that Time very gracefully turned the hourglass upside down.

"Time, it can become permanent! He won't be able to go back if he's not in the House, he'll age to fast, He'll die!"

"Than he shall be brought here" Time assured. "When the sand runs to the bottom"

Noon lunged at her desperately. "You can't do this!" he repeated. "Time!" he continued to yell.

The sand ran from top to bottom forming an increasingly larger pile.

"You must bring him here first! Do you hear me? Time!" Noon shouted over the clamor of bells tolling and then he heard it, the shatter of glass, his stomach rolled over on itself and he looked down to see the sand swirling on the floor returning to Nothing. "You killed him!" Noon shrieked. "You killed Lord Arthur's son! The glass shattered! It's all over now. Time, you are a murderer!"

"That was not Artemis's glass" came the weak reply. "It was mine"

"Time! What are you talking about?" Noon's eyes did a sweep of the room to see Time collapsing on herself.

"There is more than one reason for an heir" she whispered. "If I only rule over half of time, I only have half the power, and my time will run out, if I don't have someone to help me. And everything will fragment and be no more"

"Where's Artemis?" Noon rasped, rushing to her side.

"Freeze time,"

"What?"

"Freeze" her breath blew out and she became like stone.

Noon's heartbeat quickened. Now what was _he_ supposed to do? Arthur was gone searching for Suzy, Artemis is somewhere in his realm aged, or still aging and now Time was, frozen. He had not even known Time had a clock, he didn't think anyone immortal could have one as that would mean they ran a natural life, ending with a death. Then again, Time was a part of the Architect, and perhaps in one last act of bitterness towards Time's increasing power, to make Time's confinement that much more unbearable had created a clock for her, in just such a case. As a sort of threat to Time to ensure she would have her part of the will carried out. But now, she was as much as finished, how could she possibly be revived?

Puberty Extreme

Suzy gaped in bewilderment as she watched Artemis's legs grow longer and his arms start to sprout, the features of his face began to shift rapidly, shoulders broadening, throughout it all though she could hear ligaments snapping, bones cracking and rebuilding, and above all were Artemis's screams, his ear splitting screams of agony. He doubled over and writhed on the floor in pain. He would have cursed if he had the mind to, his head was pounding, everything was black, he couldn't catch a proper breath before another part of his frame shifted, worst of all were his hands, every little digit, cracking, crippling him with pain. The knuckles stiffening, the joints feeling as though they'd been yanked free and then rammed back in much to hard. Suzy leapt up from where she sat and kneeled at his side, she wished she were more useful, or had any idea of what was happening to Arthur's son. He was beginning to look like Arthur, if only maybe ten years younger, he was approaching the age of twenty-five and rapidly moving on to twenty-seven. Artemis's howls were unlike any sound made of an earthly creature, he was contorting in ways that shouldn't be humanly possible. At last he began to calm down, twitching on the floor with his eyes wide open and mouth gaping, panting for air.

Behind Suzy she heard something land on the bed with a thud. She looked over her shoulder to see Artemis's likeness lying facedown on the bed, dressed in a toga. Her heart leapt, it was Arthur. He struggled to sit up right; at the sight of Suzy he scrambled to get off the bed and wrapped her in his arms. "You're alright," He huffed. He pulled away just as quickly and flopped backwards, running on the improbable stair was exhausting. Suzy frantically waved her arms in the air, gesturing at the floor where his son lay, sprawled, and at least ten years older than when Arthur had last seen him. "Argh what is it?" he grumbled crawling to the edge to look down. "Who's that?"

If she could she would have shouted, "it's your son you idiot" but she couldn't, all she could do was sigh pathetically, pointing at Arthur and then pitifully gesticulating the actions of someone growing. Arthur frowned at her unable to comprehend. "He sort of looks familiar"

There was a sound in the hall way, footsteps, more than one persons. "I have to go, we have to go" Arthur corrected, reaching for her hand. "Come on, we'll use the stair. Why won't you say anything?"

Suzy felt like crying. Artemis was dying for all she could tell, and she was unable to tell Arthur his son had just grown into an adult in mere minutes. And, with any luck, Ed had come home from next door.

"Artemis" Sure enough Ed walked in and instinctively poised himself to kick Arthur in the face. Which he did. Arthur went tumbling backwards off the other end of the bed, his head spinning, a boot to the head had the ability to knock someone off center. "Who are you?" Ed growled.

"Ed, Ed, relax, it's me Arthur"

"Who are you and where's Artemis?"

A look of puzzlement crossed his face. "Artemis is here? Where?" then Arthur blanched and peered down at the floor, his son had gone still. "No, no, no, Suzy!" he demanded. "What happened?"

Again Suzy helplessly attempted to mime the last ten minutes. Arthur threw himself on the ground and cradled Artemis's head. "Ed, I don't have time to explain Suzy and I have to take Artemis with us"

"Where? Suzy is that her name? She couldn't talk before"

"Wait" Arthur whipped his head around so fast he got a crick in it. "You can't talk?"  
She shook her head no.

"Arthur, what's going on,"

Arthur looked down at Artemis, his lips beginning to turn blue. No, no. He willed it not to be true, he didn't understand what had happened but whatever it was, it was about to take his son away. Arthur looked up, alarm evident in his eyes. "there's no time"


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen 

"But Arthur, what, what's good grief! Artemis!"

Arthur groaned. "I know, well I don't---What happened, I don't know. Why can't Suzy talk?"

Suzy flashed a glare at him.

Ed hesitated. "I found her soaked out of town, from head to toe, I thought she was a mermaid, I just met up with Leaf outside, her car broke down, she came back to check out er, um, Suzy with me"

"Wet?"

Suzy punched him hard on the arm.

"Oh," Arthur moaned. "The flood in the pit…" he trailed off. "And your voice?"

Suzy shook her head.

"Perhaps she lost it from cold" Ed offered.

"No, no, it got lost in the sea, didn't it?" Arthur furrowed his brows. "What am I going do to about this?" Too much was happening much faster than Arthur himself would like and…footsteps. Light, rushing footsteps. That was Leaf coming he was sure, rushing to find out what all the commotion was about, but he could not let her see him. It would slow him down. "Ed I haven't the time, literally" he hefted his much heavier son and flung him over his shoulder and grabbed Suzy by the hand. _Concentrate_. Arthur thought. _See a stair where there is none._

"Ed? Ed? What's going on back here?"

_Oh, Blast it, just run and hope not to hit wall_. Arthur gripped Suzy's hand tightly and steeled himself for impact and started in a run, onto the bed his foot grazing the headboard and then the light came. Relief flooded over him, he was on the improbable stair though just before he landed he heard Leaf burst in and a racket of voices as Ed made sorry attempts at explaining what had happened. He was charging up the stairs, Artemis like a sack of potatoes and Suzy plodding along like a clumsy ox. She had always said she could never get her footing right on the stair. _But too bad for her_. He was practically flying, rushing up the steps with no idea in mind of where he was headed. _I should find her voice_, his mind trailed. _But who_ _knows how long it will take to find that with Artemis out cold_? Why was nothing ever simple? Of course complexity was one of Arthur's charms, he had a way of drawing obstacles to him.

"Arthur!" he heard a voice cry.

_Please, no_, Arthur begged. _Just no!_

"Arthur! Where are you going!"

In spite of the fact that his judgment told him not to look back he turned his head lightly to glimpse the speaker. The cut was a bit off, and the coloring too but there was no mistaking the light blonde that peaked through.

"No" Leaf yelled. "Arthur! What's wrong with Artemis?" she demanded. "Where are you taking my son!" Her voice sounded far away in the rushing wind but he could still hear her crying. _How did she_ _even manage to get on the stair_? He wondered. Leaf was an athlete when she wanted to be, evidently, she had decided to put that talent to use just then to catch him on the stair before it vanished. _As if my load isn't_ _enough to bear._ Arthur was furious. _Leaf's following me, Suzy can't talk, my son's, not well that's_ _for sure_ _and I'm charging up the Improbable stair that travels through time and place_. _Who wouldn't want to be_ _me_ _right now? _He thought sarcastically. He wasn't even thinking anymore, his legs were on auto pilot, planting themselves solidly on each marble step before him. Suzy still stumbling along, if not dragging him backwards and still penetrating was Leaf's distress. "Arthur!" Arthur groaned just as the light blazed even whiter, he knew what the light meant, he was going faster and his legs weren't doing the speeding. They were coming to a Landing it was headed at them at full speed. He was headed towards it at full speed.

"Arthur!" Leaf was still yelling.

Arthur whipped his head around angrily. "Shut up!" he shrieked. He needed to focus now more than ever.

The hurt was obvious in Leaf's voice "how could you?"

Arthur braced himself and there he was with Suzy and the body over his shoulder. The Landing wasn't anywhere he'd been before but he headed straight for the line of turtles that lay ahead of him and leaped. Leaf didn't know about Landings, she didn't know what to do.

"Arthur! No, don't leave me! Arthur!" her wail echoed after him as he sped away.

He blinked back bitter tears and kept up the pace. _Think Arthur think. Master of the Universe, you_ _can sort this out._

"Don't worry Arthur I'm okay"

Arthur's legs would have collapsed with joy if it hadn't been for the probability of falling through the stair into space or something of the sort. Somehow Leaf had managed to get back on the stair after him.

"Slow down so I can reach you" Arthur's ears perked up, did her voice sound raspy because of the exhaustion of the running or….

He turned to look back and wished he hadn't Suzy did the same and he could tell by the shocked look on her face, she had wished she didn't look either.

Gaining on them, fast, was a misshapen version of Leaf. A Nithling not unlike the variety that had copied Suzy in the Pit. "Slow down" the voice the creature emitted now came clearly through as a hiss.

Suzy was tugging at him frantically, as she was trailing behind him; the Nithling was closest to her. "Hold on is all don't let go. Just give me time to figure out where I'm going" just then the step began to sag, sensing his doubt. He lurched forward and nearly fell face down if Suzy didn't propel him forward, still panicking about the Leaf nithling behind them. Taking a moment to regain his balance and ensure that Artemis was still secure over his shoulder he corrected his earlier statement. "I know where I'm going, I know where I'm going, no doubt about it" The stair solidified with his new confidence. Though Arthur wasn't at all sure it would last. Let's recount shall we? Arthur bit his bottom lip. _My wife is lost on the_ _stair,_ _Suzy can't tell me anything that could help, Artemis has put on a lot of weight_. He grunted and hefted his son, _and the nithling has copied itself off of Leaf, which means he either dissolved her or just managed to_ _nip some hair,_ he paused "or toe nail or skin" Suzy's voice popped into his head. _Or toe nail or skin_. What a cheery thought that was. With some relief Arthur found that nithling wasn't as close as before, though still trailing them. _Oh and it's dangerous for nithlings to get on the stair, who knows where they'll end up! _He cursed like a drunken sailor and then that familiar acceleration came back.

"Incoming Landing" Arthur chimed cheerily and let the inevitable happen. He came tripping out on the landing, Suzy flying over his head and skidding with her face in the dirt. He lay Artemis down and then turned to face where the Leaf nithling should come bursting through at any moment. There it was scaly and patch worked with her hair cut and body frame, but covered in scales and patches of skin.

"Come Arthur, it's me, Leaf" it cooed. His stomach rolled over on itself once before he raised his gauntleted hands.

"Don't do that honey" it rasped again.

Suzy who had managed to get back to her feet was spinning in circles like a top searching for something proper to knock it out with. Arthur was about to use the keys to disintegrate it when Suzy went flying past him into the nithling. "Suzy no!" Arthur cried, covering his eyes and turning away, he didn't want to see what had just happened to his dear friend. There was an agony filled cry and then he dared to open one eye. There was Suzy, grinning and dusting off her hands. "Suzy, how?" he grasped her arms to make sure she was even real. In response Suzy looked down at her clothing. Arthur was puzzled. "What about your…." His voice broke off and he chuckled in thankful delight. Suzy was _still_ wearing the bright coat and immaterial boots. She had run at the nithling and then given it a swift kick, smashing it into little nothing droplets. "oh Suzy" he hugged her again and then tore himself away, brushing creases out of his robe. "Okay this should've been obvious before but it wasn't so bare with me, hold on" his eyes skimmed over their surroundings as he looked for anything representing steps. There was a corkscrewing vine dangling from a tree, which he imagined was a spiral staircase. He took a moment and flung Artemis over his opposite shoulder because the other was sore, gripped Suzy's hand, and ran for the vine. To his surprise it worked, though he did wish he hadn't thought of a spiral staircase, he was speeding up circles in a stomach churning way. "So, okay" he gasped. "We'll head to Upper House and See if" he broke to take breath. "If Dame Primus can help with your voice, and Artemis" . He glanced over his shoulder to see Suzy nodding in agreement. "To Upper House!" he yelled and took off, expecting a long trek but instead found him self sprawled in the courtyard with Dame Primus fluttering to and fro.

"What what? Arthur? Suzy? And…" Dame came in a bit closer to peer at the slack face of the person draped over his shoulder.

Arthur heaved, "That---is my son----Artemis" he spluttered before falling to his knees.

Noon came striding out to greet them, at the sight of the body he bowed his head "My lord I am so sorry"

"Don't start that we're not sure if he'd dead" Dame Primus reprimanded. "Hmm" a smirk came across her face as she peered down her nose at Suzy. "What happened to her, usually she'd be spouting that awful grammar of hers to rattle off everything. Not that I don't approve of her new situation" Suzy lunged at her but only caught at the hem of Dame's dress and Dame darted up and away to hover over head. "Her voice got washed out. In the border sea, when it hit the Pit in the Far Reaches."

"So it's lost is it?" Dame teased. "Would you like a cream puff Suzy? Hmm? What's that you say? No, oh well" a tray of pastries appeared in Dame's hand she plucked on and then began to nibble at it. Suzy lunged again, for the platter this time but still missed. "oh but Suzy you didn't say please" She laughed as mocked her.

"Oh Dame do stop" Arthur pleaded. It was sickening to see someone of such self professed status be such a child. "On top of her voice issue, well my son is only a boy, something happened back home"

Noon cut in "I now what happened there Arthur" his tone became sad. "I was speaking to Time when you left, and when she told me she wanted to see about your son" While Noon explained Dame called two servants to move Artemis inside to the infirmary to have him looked after. "And she said 'if age is what concerns everyone so, about the boy, that can be fixed.'" To Arthur's surprise tears began streaming down his face. " And she plucked your son's hourglass off the shelf and said 'that can be changed right now' and she turned it over Lord Arthur she turned it over and that's why he's aged, I told her to bring him here first, so that he would be alright but she wouldn't listen to reason." He stalled before finishing.

"What is it Noon" Arthur pressed.

"Than I heard a glass shatter, and I was sure it was his," he gestured to the servants carting away Artemis "but it was Time's. She collapsed and told me she also needed an heir to survive, that she only had half the power and would perish, and everything would be ruined, then she said a spell to freeze herself. She lies at her manor like a stone statue" he choked. "An artifact, in her own home" Suzy and Arthur gaped at him and then turned to each other. Dame cleared her throat. "Well it's been enough for the day,"

"Leaf is lost on the stair" Arthur whispered. The problems just kept piling up. He couldn't believe his last words to her were shut up.

"who?" Dame inquired.

Arthur shook his head biting his lip, squinting back burning tears. "My wife, I was taking Suzy and Artemis and then she came in and she got on, and the landing came and I couldn't stop and she didn't know how and I couldn't grab her and I was stressed and told her to shut up and she got left behind" he rambled.

Dame's expression softened. "Oh dear" he voice tender and soft like a mothers. "Come, come on" she held out her hand and Arthur took it, clung to it like a child to a safety blanket. Slowly she led Arthur back towards Upper House, she called over her shoulder. "Noon, see that Suzy sees the nurse and call up the Songstress" she turned back to Arthur "now you go upstairs and rest"

"but, but, what about Mistress Time, and Leaf oh and my son!" he groaned.

"Shh" Dame soothed. Wrapping her significantly smaller arm around Arthur's shoulders she curved his path to the direction of the stairs and sent him up. "I'll have Ichabod lay out you night robe, just rest."

Arthur fumbled his way up and sure enough Ichabod was there in his room waiting, and with an array of clothes.

"What choice of robe, nightcap, slippers, blanket….." Arthur rolled his eyes and threw himself face down on the bed. Ichabod stroked his chin and raised and eyebrow. "oh, dear, my lord," he smiled. "why he's all tuckered out"

Shards 

Fisherman at Port Wednesday were Startled by the shark like shape that came rocketing out of the water at them, sprawling on the port. It was Wednesday's Dawn, she was writing on the deck, clutching her chest. "Idiots!" she screamed at the Denizens. "Chief Servant wounded you fools! Find help!" she continued to drag herself along until she came to a tavern. She managed to stagger to her feet and yanked the door open. Watkingle stood at the counter, wagging his tail as he gulped cranberry juice. Dawn sprang toward the counter, catching at his collar as she went sliding back down to the floor.

"Leave off leave off, your strangling me!" Watkingle choked, his eye's goggling.

"Rat" She hissed. "You owe me a favor for rescuing one of yours in a flood" she coughed. "I am injured"Watkingle pulled away.

"Get out! I'm not going to get pinned with the wounding of a Chief Servant, they'll lop me tail off!" he squeaked. "out!"

"Rat!" She hissed again more fiercely. She reached down towards a long glass shard embedded in her chest, she pulled at it, but it made an unpleasant suctioning sound so she didn't bother. "I need an elevator and a simultaneous bottle"

"For whom?" Watkingle scurried for the materials.

"To Lord Arthur, Immediately." She gasped and then went unconscious.

"There are about seventeen other bottles going that way now, the tube's clogged Wednesday's Dawn" he turned to find Dawn lying on the floor. He ran from behind the counter. "Dawn! Dawn! Oh I'm a drowned rat for this." He ran out of his tavern screeching. "Help! Anybody! Help! Someone get and emergency shaft to Upper House now!"


End file.
